Megan
by Min Farshaw
Summary: [HMC fic] At the end of every story,we have our falling action, with happy endings and explainations all around. But there is one very confused, very angry somone everyone forgot... [Chapter 8 up! This story is now complete!]
1. In which an emergency phone number is

**Megan**

by Min Farshaw

Chapter 1: In which an emergency phone number is called.

* * *

They were almost all gone. Almost.

" Sophie dear, really!"

" Fanny, you can come and visit tomorrow. But I've got things to do now" Sophie said firmly as she pushed her stepmother out the door and shut it. Sophie felt a little bad about kicking Fanny out like that, but it was nearly nine o'clock and everyone else was gone. She turned around and placed her back to the door. Howl came out of the closet running his fingers through his blond, disheveled hair.

" Micheal and Lettie won't be back for at least another two hours" He said, then corrected himself " Micheal and the Lettie under that disguise spell anyway"

" Martha. Her name is Martha." Sophie corrected.

" Right, Martha." Howl said distractedly, staring at Sophie. She felt a blush come, unbidden to her cheeks.

" Howl, did you mean it, what you said" Sophie asked, uncertain, hoping that hadn't really meant it, but dreading that possibility as well

" About living happily ever after?" He said, flashing that dazzling smile. _ Oh goodness_ thought Sophie _ He's going to be Honest again_. He walked over to her and leaned against the wall next to the door. "I have my heart back now, and I don't think I've ever been so happy" He said, slithering out instead of answering the question. Sophie almost had time to breath a sigh of relief " But If you'll have me..." He trailed off, looking at her with those deep green eyes. Sophie gulped, feeling her stubbornness fade away.

_Knock Knock_

Just the distraction she needed. She turned around and opened the door.

" I've told you before Fanny, I'm perfectly alright up here in the Castle. You don't need to..." She said to an empty, if weedless drive. Fanny was not there. Calcifar chuckled merrily from the fireplace.

" It's not the mansion door." His face crinkled up in concentration " It's not the moving castle entrance or Market Chipping either." The knocking got more insistent. " Howl." Calcifar said worriedly

The colour drained from Howl's face, and a moment later Sophie paled as well. That only left...

Quickly, Howl gathered up a number of vaguely magical looking items. Sophie, being of a more practical nature, took up the poker from the fireplace, and held it out in front of her like a sword.

The knob spun round to black down of its own accord and the door burst open. Howl let the various items fall to the floor. Sophie peaked round the door (She had been trapped behind it) and saw a woman standing there, with an angular face and blue eyes.

"Megan!" Howl said weakly with surprise.

" Howell Jenkins. You will tell me what is going on right now."

Howl responded in typical slither – outer fashion . He slammed the door shut in Megan's face.

" Howl! " Sophie exclaimed . The pounding continued. " You aren't just going to leave her like that are you?"

" I can and I will ." Howl responded, back to the door , holding it closed . He reached up above his head and spun the knob round several times . The knocking ceased and Howl relaxed slightly. " Oh don't look at me like that miss Nose. Megan will eat me alive !"

" I'll bet she will." Sophie told him crossly. They were interrupted by a sudden ringing noise. Howl's colour, which had began to come back drained again. He said several rude words that weren't really fit for young ladies ears, but Sophie filled them away for future use.

" What is that noise?" Sophie asked curiously , and began poking around the room, searching for the source of the sound. She found it under the workbench , tucked behind a box on the shelf. It was a yellowing contraption, with some kind of handle on the top and rows of buttons down the front. Calcifar started laughing uproariously.

" Don't answer it Sophie! Howl said frantically." Sophie looked at Calcifar.

" Answer it. Pick up the handle and put it to your ear" the fire demon instructed. Sophie did as he said, just as Howl began to scramble across the room to wards her and the yellow contraption.

" Hello! Howell. Is Howell there? Came Megan's voice on the other end. Sophie looked about uncertainly. Calcifar , still shaking with mirth, mouthed " Speak into the other end"

" Um, Yes , he is."

" Who am I speaking too?" Asked Megan's disembodied voice

" Sophie."

"Sophie. Get Howell on the line then." Howl began to scramble back again. " Tell him that he isn't going to slither out of this one." Megan said fiercely. Sophie took a sudden liking to this Megan character.

" Howl." She said, taking her mouth away from the contraption, "It's for you." He looked at her like she was a snake, and looked ready to bolt. " She said no slithering out" Sophie smirked evilly, holding the contraption out

" Sophie, Cariad, you wouldn't feed me to wolves now would you?" He said, trying to make him self look pitiful. She just held the yellow thing out to him and glared. He took it.

" Hello? ... Oh, Megan. Now, there is no need to yell... You were at the door? I didn't see you, funny... Well, if you were at _your_ door, it's no wonder I didn't see you. You wound me Megan... Why I would Never! Megan this is an emergency number... Can't we be civil about this?"

Howl slammed the handle down several moment later

"Well?" Sophie asked after she put the yellow thing down, hands on her hips.

" I'm going to see Megan tomorrow." Howl said unhappily. Sophie eyed him suspiciously, wondering why he was not trying to slither out. She opened her mouth and began to speak " Before you say 'Serves you right'" Howl said, hauling her sentence " You are coming with me miss Nose" He tweaked the end of her nose slightly at that.

Sophie gulped. This was not the way it was supposed to be at all.

* * *

A/n: There really needs to be more HMC fics, and, as there are none that really deal with Megan as main character, this popped into my head. It's obviously meant to be continued, so if there is any interest, I'll post up a few more chapters.

Poor Howl! How will he ever survive?

Min


	2. In which Sophie ruins her dress

**Megan**

by Min Farshaw

Chapter two: In which Sohpie ruins her dress

* * *

They had went off to bed, Howl to his depressingly clean room and Sophie back to her depressingly cramped little cubby under the stairs. Somehow Megan's call had soured the entire evening, even if it was nothing more than that horrible Howl deserved. Micheal had returned after walking Martha home (Sophie was sure that it wasn't walking that had taken the pair over two and a half hours to walk the scant few blocks to Cesari's and back). Howl had retreated to his room, and after a brief tantrum, remained there in a kind of kind of pouty stupor. Sophie and Micheal had munched absentmindedly on left-over chicken, both of their minds elsewhere.

So now Sophie lay, staring up at the underside of the stairs, counting the steps over and over again. She decided that if Howl was going to get in a little snit about going to see his sister, then she shouldn't feel sorry for him. She could hear him pacing in his bedroom from where she lay. He was obviously worried, far more worried than Sophie thought he should be. Quickly she turned her mind from this track of thought, determined that she should not feel sorry for Howl. Unfortunately, this brought her mind round again to his words earlier, just before they had been uninterrupted. Did she want him? This opened up all sorts of interesting and unpleasant questions. She really shouldn't stay. She had her youth back, and Fanny really was quite ready to take her in. But that would mean that she would be going back on her insistence to Fanny that she was perfectly fine up here at the Castle. But Howl couldn't really have meant what he said, if he was going to go into a little snit like this. If he was really in love... Sophie absolutely refused to attempt to qualify that statement further. He was rude and selfish, and staying would mean that she would have to look after him and his silly little fits of green slime. Nothing was worth that, was it? Michael would be alright if she left. He had Martha after all.

She made up her mind. She would leave the castle tomorrow, before Howl had a mind to drag her off to Whales to protect him from Megan. She soon fell asleep, the rhythmic pounding of Howl's boots across the floor following her into her dreams.

* * *

Sophie awoke the early - very early - the next morning to the sizzling sound of bacon cooking over the fire. Cautiously she poked her nose out of the cubby to see that it was only Micheal nervously handling the frying pan over a doubled up Calcifer.

"Michael, how did you get Calcifer to bend his head?" Sophie yawned curiously as Micheal poked at the bacon with the spatula. He shrugged at her.

" I didn't. Howl did. Then he disappeared into the bathroom about five minutes ago" Micheal told her as scented steam began to roll out from under the door. Sophie sighed. Of course he wasn't in love. She now felt no compunction about leaving. She gathered up her grey silk skirts and began to march out of her room when Howl burst out of the bathroom, smelling faintly of apples. His hair was mused, and she could see that he had forgotten to put on the spell that made it particularly glossy. Michael looked shocked. Cacifer was laughing again, the sound muffled by the cast iron pan. Howl marched up to Sophie and pulled her out of the cubby in a circle, fairly skipping around the room. Sophie began to smile in spite of herself. Howl was grinning that grin again.

" You are awfully chipper this morning!" Sophie exclaimed, " I thought that you would be depressed about seeing your sister today."

" Ah, but Sophie my dear, that is partially why I am so particularly happy. You see, I'm not going to see Megan today."

Sophie frowned.

" And why not Howl Jenkins?" She asked, trying to sound stern. It was so hard when he looked at her like that. " I was under the impression that she would hunt you down and administer unspeakable tortures upon you."

" I have it all worked out" He continued, as if she had not spoken. He was still holding her waist, a fact Sophie took into account. " Megan can't get to me here if she can't find me. I'll disconnect the phone, and Micheal can hold the door shut"

" What!" cried Micheal. Sophie imagined that he had rather wanted to go see Martha again today. Howl continued to speak again, ignoring the protest of his apprentice

" We'll disappear for a few days, where Megan won't think to look. She'll lose interest eventually and then we can come back." He smiled, showing almost all of his teeth. " It's foolproof."

Sophie looked at him doubtfully. Megan did not seem to be the kind of person who would give up so easily.

" Wait a minute. What do you mean 'We' '' Sophie said as she realized what Howl had meant.

" Why you and I, Sophie my dear. You don't think that I'd leave you all alone to face Megan's wrath did you?" She opened and closed her mouth, quite unsure of what to say. Howl frowned suddenly.

" Grey really doesn't suit you. " He said, then whirled away, pounding up the stairs, leaving Sophie still gaping. She blushed furiously. The nerve! She glared at Michael, who quickly turned back to the bacon, which was now beginning to burn quite badly, Yelping, he dragged the pan off Calcifer, juggling the greasy pieces of meat so that they did not stain his new shirt. Calcifer laughed again. That fire demon was in entirely too good of spirits.

" What!" Sophie exclaimed, wishing that her furious blush would go away.

" You look like a fish!" the demon exclaimed. Michael looked like he was showing signs of agreeing with Calcifer. That was it. Howl was still upstairs. Sophie stomped over to the door and turned the knob purple down and stomped out into the place of flowers, slamming the door shut behind her.

Sophie calmed down slightly, now that she was out of the castle. She began to stomp away, starting to feel rather childish. She hadn't even brought supplies! But to go back now would make her look a great fool, so she began to stomp forward once again. Well, she stomped until her foot sank knee deep into a patch of marsh. After that she trod carefully in an angry sort of way.

She must have been there almost ten minutes in the dewy, pre -dawn light (the sun had not yet risen) before she saw something odd on the ground before her. It looked like some kind of garden implement that had not yet been lost in the various boggy pieces of land that surrounded them. She picked it up to look at it curiously.

" Always cleaning up." Howl tutted from behind her. Sophie spun around, holding the tool to her chest. Howl stood there, casually leaning against a flowering crab apple tree. He was holding some kind of spell; a messy tangle of wires, branches and candles. She discarded the hoe, feeling silly. She put her hands on her hips and mustered her best Older Sister glare.

" Where are you going Sophie? We don't need flowers today ; the shop's closed." He said, still leaning in that dashingly causal way. It annoyed Sophie, that he was allowed to do that and do awful things to the way her heart was beating.

" I ..." She faulted, " I'm leaving." She turned an ran, trying not remember the hurt, shocked look that appeared on Howl's face at that moment. She heard the spell clatter to the ground, but she kept running.

But, unfortunately for Sophie's grand escape, Her stick had been burnt to ash. The same stick, in fact, that she used to test the marshy ground with. It was also unfortunate for her that it was still so dark out side. She tripped over an errant log and found herself mired up to the waist in muddy, marshy water. Howl quickly caught up to her, a wild look on his face. He stopped dead when he saw her there, almost in shock as she floundered.

" Sophie..." He said, uncertainly, " Must I always be saving you?" She turned around, surprised to find that tears were pouring down her face. She scrubbed at them with her non - grubby hand and tried to struggle away, her skirts soaking up water like a sponge

" Just. Just Go away Howl. I hate you." Sophie sniffled at him, not really meaning it. Howl became alarmed and plunged into the bog after her as she tried to move through the bog, her skirts getting heavier and heavier. He quickly caught up, sloshing through the murky water

" Sophie wait!" He cried, just as he caught up to her, grabbing her by the arm. The bog took this opportunity to sink Sophie's foot another foot and a half into the mud. The pair went tumbling, face first into the water, arms and legs flying after.

Sophie resurfaced a few moments after Howl, coughing up murky, sulphurous water. She saw him and began coughing even harder ; this time because of laughter. Howl was drenched, his hair plastered to his head and the blue and silver suit dripping water everywhere. There was an errant leaf stuck to his cheek, and for some reason, a tiny frog clinging to the front of his jacket. It was the funniest thing that she had ever seen, and for a moment, she forgot about how horrible Howl really was and how miserable she really was supposed to be. The frog dropped with a small plop into the bog, and Sophie nearly passed out with the hilarity. Howl looked with dismay at the state of his jacket. He looked up at Sophie and a snort of laughter escaped from his lips as well. He reached over and picked four individual pieces of bark out of Sophie's hair. She stopped laughing then, even though Howl still had that leaf stuck to his cheek.

Howl, being the gentleman that he was, got himself out of the bog before helping to drag Sophie's skirts out of the murky water. Water poured off of her in droves as she and Howl struggled to pull her up. The two layers of petticoats were absolutely ruined, and the grey silk had an awful green stain that permeated the fabric. She couldn't take it anymore. Sophie reached up and peeled the little green leaf from Howl's cheek. Howl responded by grabbing her wrist and pulling her gently to him, then kissing her.

This was certainly unexpected, and Sophie's mind drew a complete blank for ten seconds before she figured that thought should enter this process somewhere. By that point, Howl, had stopped kissing her and was looking at her reproachfully, still holding her wrist.

" Howl -" She began before he kissed her again. Sophie concentrated on enjoying it this time before she had to get really angry at him. He tasted like... well, to be honest he tasted like bog water, but his mouth was warm and gentle on hers, and she felt a delicious tingling start to fill her from her toes to the top of her head.

She started to speak again, but Howl put a finger over her lips.

" Please hear me out." He said in that way that let Sophie that was going to be honest again, something that was happening distressingly often of late. She nodded.

" I don't want you to leave, Sophie. No, I need you to stay with me. Who else could keep me in line and chase away all my spiders? I need someone around to rescue from evil witches and get me in trouble and cut up all my clothes."

" You aren't making any sense." Sophie told him.

" I know. Stay with me anyway? Micheal would never forgive you if you left." He had on that dazzling, happy smile again.

" I ..." She began, glancing over his shoulder so that she did not have to look into his wonderfully green eyes. " I... Well, alright Wizard Pendragon, but you better make it worth my while" Sophie replied and Howl lifted her up into the air, laughing with joy and kissed her again. Sophie found that she was happy too, even though her grand escape had been ruined.

* * *

They returned to where Howl had dropped the messy looking spell. It looked to be even more hopelessly tangled, with damp candles sticking at odd angles and branches broken off in the center.

" What ever was this suppose to be?" Sophie asked, tilting her head so as to get a better view.

" It's part of my master plan Cariad. It's a transport spell to take us to Wales." This did not make any sense at all to Sophie.

" Howl, I thought that the point of your plan was to avoid Megan. Isn't this counter productive? Either way, why not just turn the knob on the door to black down and go that way?"

" Megan," He said, " Will be watching the front door. I think she's got an inkling of what I'm about, so we have to sneak in another way."

" But why Wales?"

" Because, Megan won't expect that I'll try to slither out her way. She'll be too busy trying to barge back though the door to look for us there. "

Sophie had to admit that this plan made sense in a backwards sort of way. She still dissaproved of sneaking out on Howl's sister, but she was caught up in the moment now, Still heady and giddy from Howl 's kisses.

They ended up fixing the spell just as the sun began to peak over the horizon, sparking off the dew that had settled all over their hair and shoulders. Howl had made an attempt to dry off their clothes, but the grey silk was still left with an awful greenish brown stain. They activated the spell at exactly 5:03 AM.

This turned out to be a colossal mistake.

Sorry about the delay y'all, but you caught me in the middle of my English Portfolio. Or, rather, I caught myself in the middle of it. Thank you all so much for your support in this endevour of mine. I'll try to go back and fix some of my messed up grammar in the first chappie.

No Megan in this chapter, but rest assured that she will get her crack at Howl next chapter. Or will she?

Anyway, review please? It gives me happy feelings and makes me feel obligated to get this out to you quicker. I also know that I make many, many mistakes, so I wouldn't mind if you would point them out to me so I can fix them!

((Edit: Thanks Rowana S. for pointing that out to me. It has now been fixed ))


	3. In which Megan and Sophie wash dishes

_**Megan**_

By Min Farshaw

Chapter three: In which Megan and Sophie wash dishes

* * *

They landed with a somewhat undignified clatter on a pile of flimsy boxes and a few noisy metal buckets. Howl's helped Sophie up, and as soon as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she recognized that they were in Megan's garage. Howl's old car sat there in the gloom, squatting like some huge, beat up metal frog.

" That wasn't too bad. Now for the next part of my plan," Howl said. Sophie's dress turned to a grey sweater and a brownish green skirt that fell to just past her knees. The blue and silver suit transformed to a pair of blue trousers and a grey t shirt with a blue jacket. They began to wade through the sea of boxes, Howl holding Sophie's hand.

Suddenly, a blinding light appeared in front of them. Howl and Sophie flung up their hands in order to protect their eyes. The lights in the front of Howl's car had turned on and now a painfully loud alarm sounded, causing Sophie to clap her hands over her ears. Howl said a word that young ladies shouldn't know (but that Sophie knew anyway) and they made for the door, trying to cover ears and shade eyes. Sophie rattled the handle furiously, but it was locked.

Howl, with a grimace on his face, mashed the button by the door labeled 'Garage open', but nothing happened.

" You open up right now!" Sophie told the door crossly, but it stayed firmly shut. She kicked it, but it refused to open for her. Howl, in the mean time, had gotten into his car and did something to it so that the alarm stopped sounding and the lights stopped flashing. He came and rattled the door knob as well, and Sophie saw that he had a slightly panicked look on his face.

"Can't you magic it open?" Sophie asked him as he sat down on the cold, hard floor of the garage.

" No. Magic won't work. There is something stupidly mechanical blocking it."

Sophie joined Howl on the floor.

" What now?"

" We wait for Megan to come and let us out." He swore again, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes. " I can't believe that I miscalculated this badly"

" Well, I don't suppose It's any less than you deserve. You were trying to give her the slip you know" Sophie said crossly. It was cold in the garage, and dark now that the lights had gone out.

" You don't understand, Were both doomed now. And it is not no less than I deserve. I've done nothing wrong in my life" Howl responded self pityingly . Sophie snorted in disbelief.

" Nothing wrong? What about all those young ladies' hearts you stole before, Hmm?" She replied, getting more cross. " Or that time you sent me to tell lies to the king."

" They were not lies!" Howl snapped back, "They were artful misdirections"

" So you admit you have faults!" Sophie said a little louder.

"Faults! I don't have anything wrong with me!" Howl said even louder than that. This was the beginning of a flaming row. Sophie's blood began to boil and she stood up as she started to declaim even louder Howl's faults. He stood up too, probably feeling the need to defend himself. He tried to loom over her with his superior height, but Sophie drew herself up and put her hands on her hips and glared back up at him. She had Howl backed up right against the wall, which was hung with various gardening implements and other such interesting paraphernalia. Some how the argument had escalated to the point where Sophie was emphasizing her arguments by jabbing Howl in the chest with her finger.

" Ah, Howell, glad that you came to join me today. Tea?" Asked Megan pleasantly from the doorway that had held fast shut for them. She held a steaming mug of tea in one hand as she leaned casually against the frame. Sophie realized suddenly just how close she was standing to Howl. " and this must be Sophie." Sophie stepped back quickly, holding her hands to her rapidly warming cheeks

" Megan..." Howl said weakly, letting his arms fall from where they had been gesturing extravagantly during their argument.

" You know, the funny thing about my garage. I do mean My garage Howell, for all that you like to assume that it is your garage, what with all the useless junk that you keep in it," Megan continued as if none of them had spoken. Sophie figured that it must be a family trait. " is that I had Neil in here yesterday. That boy is no good at English, but has been doing quite well in auto mechanics lately." She smiled. " Do you know what Neil has been learning in auto mechanics Howell? Well, for example, Neil just got a crash course in wiring and installing proximity sensitive car alarms." All of the colour drained from Howl's face.

" Do you know what the other funny thing about my garage is , Howell Jenkins?"

" What is it Megan?"

" That, until yesterday, the door to the garage used to open from both sides" She smiled again, cradling her mug of steaming tea. " I know you Howell, better than you think I do. I know exactly how your mind works, and if need be, I can trap you at any time. Remember this, because next time I won't be so lenient. We can have that discussion now, and you can explain to me what is going on."

They followed Megan out the garage door and across the small concrete patio to the front door of the house. The screen and the door were open. Howl looked about to bolt, but Megan had a hand firmly planted on his arm, obviously assuming that Sophie would follow. She was slightly annoyed to find that she was following, when clearly she was free to run. Running did seem a good idea, what with the feeling of impending doom and all.

They went into the house, took off their shoes (Megan removed a pair of well worn slippers instead.). Megan sat them down on the living room couch, locked the front door and went into the kitchen. Megan's son, Neil, stumbled down the stairs, bleary eyed. He looked at Howl, then Sophie.

" Did you catch them then Mum?" He asked, weary and tired.

" Yes dear, you can go to sleep now." Megan called from the kitchen.

"Neil, she roped you into this too?" Howl asked, " How could you , your own flesh and blood."

" Sorry Uncle Howell. But I'd rather it were you than me." Neil responded before going back up the stairs.

Megan's living room was not quite the same as Sophie remembered it. First off, there were blueprints on the table of her garage, with other blueprints that appeared to be of complicated looking doors. The other interesting thing was that there were several new wires running along the carpet and plugged into her magic box. The picture on it was of the inside of her garage, and on a continuous loop, she saw herself and Howl appear out of thin air, stumble around and then argue.

Megan returned with a pot of steaming tea. She poured a cup for Sophie, who accepted it gratefully. Megan pointedly ignored Howl and did not pour him any tea. There wasn't even a cup available for him.

She sat in the large armchair in the corner so that her face was partially obscured by shadows. This was another apparently new feature of Megan's living room ; It was set up for a very comfortable sort of interrogation. The sofa was of course lit by two standing lamps so that Sophie and Howl were in view at all times. A large, evil looking ginger cat settled itself on Howl's lap. From the look on his face, the cat had claws and was using them to great effect in order to keep Howl immobile.

"Explain. Now." Megan said, using the tones of an executioner.

Howl did. It was perhaps the biggest crock of lies that Sophie had ever heard. Apparently, the witch of the waste was a dangerous criminal, and like the brave soul he was, Howl had been tracking her, undercover, for the police department. Of course, this woman worked in the theater, hence the elaborate suit. It was really a beautiful masterwork of lies, carefully crafted so that it had just a grain of truth to be somewhat believable. Sophie was trying really hard not to laugh at his tale. She took another sip of her tea. It tasted a mite different than it did back home, but the difference was not entirely disagreeable.

"... And that's why I couldn't tell you earlier. As you see, I'm not really the horrible man that you made me out to be." Howl finished. Sophie almost let loose a quite unladylike snort at the end, but schooled her features to calmness. Howl let loose a dazzling grin, that screamed 'Responsible!'

" Lies. All of them." Megan said calmly. Howl sputtered and protested, but remained immobile on the couch. The cat was washing itself now, it's hind legs digging deep into Howl's belly.

" What! Why would you accuse me of such a thing?"

" First off, your young lady friend there was trying to restrain herself from laughing the entire time." Sophie felt a bit ashamed at that, " And secondly, you failed to explain anything on this tape, or why your entering my garage didn't trip the silent alarm. Third you didn't explain how I could have opened my own door and found myself in a room that is not my own, or why, when I opened the second floor window in Neil's room, I looked out on yard full of messy scrap metal. Last of all, you especially forgot to explain why you appear to be living with a girl nearly seven years younger than you." This caused Sophie to blush.

" You may have five minutes to come up with a more plausible story." Megan continued. " Sophie dear, won't you come into the kitchen with me?" Sophie was dragged off into the kitchen by Megan. The door shut on Howl's frantic face.

Sophie looked around in the kitchen, still holding her empty cup. Megan turned on the tap and poured some dishwashing liquid in to create a mass of frothy bubbles.

" Er, can I help you with that?" Sophie asked, seeing cleaning to be done. Megan snatched the cup out of her hands.

" Of course dear. I'll wash and you can dry." Sophie was handed a dishcloth and she began to dry off dishes as they were handed to her. She noticed that an inordinate amount of coffee mugs and teacups were being produced out of the soapy water, but decided not to mention it.

" So, Sophie, how old are you?"

" I'll be nineteen this fall" She said, realizing that her birthday really was approaching. Last year's birthday had been marked with sadness, due to the loss of her father. The year certainly had gone by fast, with all the hats, and then being turned old, and Howl. Nineteen seemed awfully young all of a sudden. Sophie missed Megan's slight wince.

" And what do you do for a living? Are you a student?" Megan asked conversationally, handing her a rather unique looking mug that had dragons twined around the handle and the body of it.

" Well, I used to work in the family hat shop with my mother in law. Then I worked as a cleaning lady." Sophie said truthfully. " Umm, now, Well I'm not sure what I'm doing. Howl says..." Sophie said, blushing slightly, " He thinks that we should make a study of my gift." She continued, distracted by the mug. There was a spot of dirt stuck in one of the crevices created by the dragons.

" Howell can help you with that then?" Megan asked lightly.

" I think so. He does know an awful lot about Ma..." Sophie started, then trailed off in abject horror at what she had almost just said.

" What was that dear?" Megan said, an almost predatory quality entering her pleasant tone. _ Think Sophie Think!_

" Maladies?" She said weakly. But Megan wasn't looking at her. She was looking at the glass, which appeared to be cleaning itself. Sophie quickly grabbed the cloth she was using to dry and laughed nervously.

" And what is my wayward brother teaching you about Maladies?" Megan asked, handing her another cup.

" Did I say Maladies? I really meant..." But Sophie couldn't continue, because Megan was laughing so hard. Silently, but the laughter shook her body violently.

" God, I didn't think it was true. I didn't think that it _could_ be true. What is he, some kind of magician? No, Howell's probably cooked himself up some sort of outrageous persona. Probably goes around calling himself Supreme High sorcerer or something."

" He does not!" Sophie said hotly, hands on her hips. She suddenly covered her mouth with her hands, cursing her stupidity.

" Then what does he call himself my dear? By the way, the dustpan is in the corner by the window" Megan said, pointing just behind Sophie's head. There was a shattered glass on the ground where Sophie had dropped it in her anger. She muttered an apology and turned to grab the dustpan from behind her head.

" He's not as irresponsible as you think." Sophie muttered, sweeping up the pieces of broken glass.

" What was that?"

" I said, He isn't as irresponsible as you seem to think. He may be vain and fickle and selfish, but he has a good heart." Sophie said.

" Yes, well, that's all well and good Sophie, but Howl has slithered out of this explaination for far too long."

* * *

Oh my goodness. I just saw Miazaki's Howl's Moving Castle, and let me tell you, it is gorgeous. The visuals are simply stunning, and the castle is magnificent. Of course, the plot is almost entirely different, but the spirit is the same, and I got the same 'Yay yay yay' feeling from the film that I got from the book. In no way would I recommend using the film as a guideline in anyway for fanfiction for the book. The two are separate entities, though my rabid fandom causes me to love both. The voice acting was not quite up to par (Old Sophie was good, I wasn't quite as thrilled with young Sophie. I don't know that Emily Mortimer was the right choice. I was worried about Billy Crystal as Calcifer, but that turned out alright. Christian Bale makes a good Howl, but he doesn't quite pull off that petulant brat tone that I love in Howl). Some people might find the plot confusing, but if you have my level of rabid fandom, then you really won't care.

Never fear, I will continue to stay 112 percent true to the content of the novel for this fanfic. Either way, the film is just too fresh and sacred in my mind to even attempt to write about it. The Book has been such a well loved companion over the years that I feel comfortable writing from it. It is unfortunate that the novel left me with such a burning desire for the 'What's next!' But this is one of the reasons that HMC is one of the larger sections of the DWJ section of in conclusion, these two media should forever be kept separate from each other, as they are simply so different. Both good, both worthy of generations of insane fanatics (like myself) but completely different. HMC writers for the Miazaki version should probably avoid writing in the DWJ section, as I'm sure that the bookists (Wow, I come with my own set of nonsensical vocabulary) would appreciate this. But we shouldn't be too hard on those who have only see the film and fall in love with the concept as well. None of you 'bookists' should avoid the film though. It's just too good to pass up. I expected nothing less from Miazaki working from Diana Wynne Jones.

Holy cow, I wrote y'all an essay . Sorry about that, Won't do it again

(Stupid Min, Stupid! You told yourself you would stop doing that! Bad girl!)

Anyway, R & R please? I really appreciate your comments, they really spur me forward! ( I promise to work on the grammar ) Finals are over now, I just have to deal with getting a job, volunteering, and my impressive reading list for English, so I should have more writing time.

Min

(p.s. If you guys get bored, and if you like anything I've written, you may want to check out my fiction press account www. fictionpress. com/ minfarshaw (same account name, Min Farshaw. Yes, I'm creative). I doubt that anything else I've written as fanfiction will interest you, unless you like dragon ball Z, and that stuff is real old. Anyways, I shut up now)


	4. In which Micheal becomes the bearer

**_Megan _**

By Min Farshaw

Chapter four: In which Micheal is the bearer of bad news

* * *

They trooped back into the living room. Howl leaped off the couch with a muffled yelp when the cat clawed him.

" Sophie, Sophie, are you alright?" He said, grasping her hands as Megan rolled her eyes, " Megan didn't attack you or anything?"

" I'm fine Howl. I'm fine, it's okay, " Sophie replied calmingly, " It's your back you should be looking out for if anyone's"

Megan uninterrupted then.

" Listen Howell, No more lies. I don't even care if it's stupid or embarrassing. Just tell me the truth for once. I deserve an explanation."

" Why, Megan, Why should you deserve one. All you ever do is yell at me and tell me what a waste I am."

"Because Howell, I'm your sister. Were family, no matter if that means having to put up with an irresponsible Cad like you." Howl said nothing, and Sophie could see that stubborn bratty look on his face.

" Oh For heaven sakes Howell. Alright, When you were six and I was fourteen, I lost you at the park when I was supposed to be watching you. I searched for three hours for you, only to find you at the top of the tallest tree in the park. There was no way you could have climbed this tree Howell, but somehow you got up there." Howl was silent, " Anyway, I yelled at you to get down from there, more scared for you than I have ever been in my entire life. Do you know what you did then Howell? You came down. Not in any ordinary way, but one moment you were up in the tree, and the next moment you were down on the ground, smiling up at me with a gap in your teeth like nothing was wrong."

"Megan..." Howl said weakly, " Megan I, well, You'd never believe me" Howl was interrupted (Perhaps fortunately) by someone knocking at the window. It was Micheal of all people, knocking and looking frantic.

" Micheal!" Sophie exclaimed, running to the window " Micheal what's wrong!"

He tried yelling through the glass, but Sophie couldn't understand what he was saying.

" Oh for goodness sakes, someone let him in!" She cried, running to the front door. Micheal came dashing in, panicked, trying to catch his breath.

"Micheal, what are you doing here! I thought I told you to keep the door shut!" Howl said, only slightly cross.

" The castle... it's falling apart! I don't know what went wrong Master Howl, but Calcifer can't hold it together without you there!"

Howl swore loudly, raking his fingers through his shiny blonde hair.

" Sorry Megan, this is really important, I have to go now. Come on, Sophie, Micheal." They all charged out the front door, and then, in a rather silly maneuver, thought Sophie, turned right back round so Howl could open the front door again, only to find Megan blocking their path. "Megan, please move, I Have to go!" Howl said, a bit of Micheal's panic coming off in his voice.

" Not unless you take me too!"

" No! Besides, what about Neil and Mari? Isn't it a school day?"

" It's saturday Howell, and Gareth can get them up. I'm coming too."

" It won't be pleasant."

" I don't care Howell. I'm not letting you get away that easily." Howl looked at Micheal, who was practically dancing with anxiety. He looked at Megan, who had an extremely stubborn look on her face. " Do you want this castle place, thing, to fall apart Howell?" She asked, probably trying to call his bluff. It worked either way, as Sophie saw Howl's face fall in annoyed defeat.

" Oh bother, Alright you can come. Just don't... Just don't touch anything alright?" he told her, trying to retain at least some form of control over the situation.

" Fine." She moved out of the doorway. Howl closed it firmly, then opened it once more to the familiar room of the castle.

Calcifer leapt out of the grate. " Howl I don't know what's wrong. My magic can't keep the castle together. I don't understand." The whole room rumbled and Calcifer flew back the hearth. The rumble calmed a little, but a bottle rattled off the shelf, setting off a shower of silver sparks that bounced around the room.

" I think I know what's wrong. Stay there Calcifer. Does the Moving castle entrance still work?"

" Yes, most of the time."

" Alright," Howl said, charging back to the door, and then, turning the knob to purple down, "Everyone out." He winced as another bottle rattled off the shelf with another tremble.

" You! Stay on those shelves or I'll be angry !" Sophie yelled a the various wizarding paraphernalia, feeling a bit silly. Nothing else moved though, so she supposed it was worth it. She was about to leave when she saw Howl wasn't coming with her.

" What are you doing! Get out of the Castle Sophie!" He cried, bracing himself against another tremble. Calcifer's face went blue and pale as if he were ill.

" What are **you** doing Howl! I'm not leaving without you!" He smiled at her.

" I'll be out in a minute Cariad. Don't worry about me." He brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. She jumped on him and hugged him tight, unaware that Megan and Micheal were still watching them.

" Just don't give away your heart again. I don't think I could bear it if you did." She said into his chest, feeling the object in question beat strongly against her cheek.

" I won't, I promise," He said simply, and kissed her forehead, " Now go." She let go of him and jumped out the door as the Castle continued to move erratically around the marshes. The door closed behind her. She ran to where Micheal and Megan were standing, and turned to look at the castle. It appeared to be m

The Castle gave a great shuddering cough and came to an abrupt halt. One of the taller towers cracked and fell away. As it fell, it dissolved into tiny rocks, which pelted them as it fell. Black smoke exited from every possible orifice before the entire thing tilted, and crashed into the ground with a horrendous noise. They had to duck and crouch to avoid the flying debris as it whizzed over their heads amongst the rising clouds of dust.

" Howl!" Sophie cried, not even seeing the looks of horror and shock on the faces of Megan and Micheal. She ran for the castle, holding her skirts and cursing when she almost tripped over pieces of rubble. She climbed over piles of ruined Castle to where she thought the door should be, Megan and Micheal not far behind. It was there, just open a crack and at a forty five degree angle to the vertical, She pushed it open anyway and stepped through,

After an extremely disorienting ten seconds, where her body and brain tried to reconcile the fact that the direction of gravity had changed by forty five degrees, she rushed over to Howl, who had fallen down and was trying to get up, his hand to his head.

" Are you alright" she cried, helping him into a sitting position.

" I'm cough fine Sophie" He said clutching his head again.

" You stupid man! How could you do that to me!" She yelled, punching him in the chest. He fell back down, and she put her hands on either side of his head and continued to yell at him, " Why did you do that! Don't you know how much you worried me!"

" Howell! Howell are you alright?" Megan asked, pushing her way through the door, " What on earth did you do! What is this thing!"

" Howl!" Micheal cried, stumbling his way in as well.

" Does no one care about the Fire demon?" Asked Calcifer helplessly from his place in the hearth.

" Sorry Calcifer." Howl said, taking hold of Sophie's shoulders to calm her down.

" What did you do?" Micheal asked looking around the room. Every single item was still on its shelf, though the rest of the room was trashed, " Why did the Castle crash?"

" I had to destroy Calcifer's connection with the castle completely before reestablishing the link in a way which would still allow him to leave." He coughed and clutched his head again, "But I'm afraid my magic wasn't strong enough to keep both going at the same time.

" Howell, are you going to tell me what happened?"

Howl ignored Megan and struggled up, heavily leaning on Sophie.

" Micheal, take Megan outside and set up a retrieval spell. I need all the bricks of the moving castle together in one place."

" Alright Howl. Standard A or Standard B spell?"

" Ah, B, I think. Calcifer, are all the other entrances still working?"

" They appear to be holding up. You might want to check on the mansion entrance though, the portal is a little unstable. Can I come out of the grate now?"

" Probably, but I'd stay there until we get the castle up again."

" How long will that be?" The fire demon whined.

" Only a few hours."

Just like that, everything became alright again. Howl had taken charge and now everyone had a place to be and something to do. Megan continued to try to get her brother's attention, but he managed to skillfully evade her by turning aside to one magical problem or another, that, sorry Megan he simply had to deal with this. Or he set Micheal (who was starting to look fairly harassed) to distract Megan with something magical, or with some other task. He kept flitting from one place to another, never finishing one project before he started another, going half way before checking back on another spell left half finished and then neglected. As they worked Howl kept stopping to teach Sophie things, random useful bits of magic that were needed to get the castle up, or fix this, or one of a thousand other tasks. Sophie kept trying not to blush as his hands would brush hers as he would correct a failed spell attempt, or he would lean over her, his face dangerously close to her face when he checked her work. But whenever he got too close, Megan would come stomping round the bend and Howl would flutter away again.

Finally, when the sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon, Howl pulled them all back from the pile of rubble that was the castle.

" Anything new you want added on Sophie?" He asked her, about to raise his hands for the spell.

" No... nothing really... Unless you could add on another bedroom or something so I don't have to sleep under the stairs. Howl looked wounded for a moment, then a mischievous glint entered his eye.

" Alright then" He said, and smiled. He yelled at Calcifer, and Calcifer yelled back. Then Howl raised his arms and said several loud, outlandish things, and, right before their eyes, the castle began to pull itself together, brick by sooty brick with loud popping and scraping noises. Charcoal dust fell away in droves, great clouds rising up to obscure the working. Long faces were pulled in wisps from the dust as they swirled around the the castle. A look of great concentration found it's way onto Howl's brow as he conducted the work. For once Megan didn't bother him. She too could feel that big magics were being worked.

Then, with a great _Shulp_ the last brick slid into place. Howl turned to them and mopped a bead or two of sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his jacket, which he had forgotten to turn back in the excitement.

" Well, that wasn't too bad!" He exclaimed. Then collapsed.

* * *

Gosh, sorry this stunk so much, I just have massive WB on all of my stories, including this one. As well, I was planning to keep this short, only one or two more chapters more, mainly to see if I'm capable of actually finishing a multi – chaptered story.

So, Thanks for reading, review please if you like, I would really appreciate it. Maybe that's all I need to get going again, I don't know.

-Min

p.s. I suppose somewhere I should put in a ridiculous and unnecessary disclaimer:

I am not the author of any professionally published work

Howl's moving castle is a professionally published work

Therefore, I do not own Howl's moving castle


	5. In which Megan and Sophie agree

_**Megan**_

By Min Farshaw

Chapter 5: In which Megan and Sophie agree

* * *

SHORT A/N: this has not been heavily edited, but I'm leaving on a trip today, and I'd rather have this out to you before I go. I appologise most sincerely for any of the many and probable mistakes I made, especaily towards the end. Sorry again

-Min

* * *

They put Howl in his room, which was already starting to look a tad grubby. Dust had not yet had time to accumulate, but the coverlet was half off the bed, there were a few sets of dirty footprints across the floor and three or four articles of clothing scattered about. Luckily, the curtains were closed, so that Megan didn't see the view his window really displayed

" His room is cleaner than I thought it would be. Your doing?" Megan asked as she helped Sophie heave the unconscious wizard onto his bed.

" Hardly. Howl wouldn't let me touch it. My stepmother and her friend came for a visit while Howl was out and set at cleaning it." Sophie told her as she took off Howl's shoes and set them neatly underneath the bed. She laid her head to his chest " He seems to be breathing alright, and his heart is steady," She raised her head, " Probably just exhausted then. Stupid man." She added without much ire.

" He did it on purpose. I know it." Megan said, with a sour twist to her mouth.

" Howl collapsed on purpose?" Sophie asked, looking at Howl's face. It managed to pull off a near perfect look of affronted innocence at the mere accusation that he had fainted on purpose.

" The little cad did it so he wouldn't have to talk to me. Probably burnt himself out with all that running and..." She waved her hand in a mystical- looking manner to indicate working magic.

" That sounds just like something he would do," Sophie agreed, " He was also probably trying to avoid giving me an explanation for some of the... things he said earlier." Sophie added crossly, suddenly realizing that Howl really hadn't said much of anything regarding their 'happily ever after', besides begging her to stay, and asking her if she would have him. Have him for dinner is more like it, Sophie thought, trying to remain annoyed with him. It was just so difficult when he wore that sweet, unguarded expression.

She turned to Megan and sighed, her hands on her hips. Megan had a similar expression on her face. Her stomach gave a growl, and Sophie realized that, in the excitement, they had skipped lunch and any sort of real breakfast.

" Would you like to stay for dinner? I'm not sure what we have, but I can send Micheal out to get a pie or some mince. Unless your family is expecting you back or something."

" I'm sure that Gareth and the kids can survive without me for one night." Megan said politely.

They trooped back down the stairs to find the apprentice trying quite unsuccessfully to heave the heavy workbench up and back into place.

" Sophie, could you give me a hand with this please?" Micheal said despairingly. Sophie rushed over to one side, and surprisingly, Megan to the other. Together, they lifted the thing up and pushed it against the wall.

Sophie sent Micheal out with some money, with stern instructions to come back with something other than cake, and to be back soon. He smiled sheepishly at her before turning the knob above the door yellow down and stepping out into Market Chipping. Megan peered out the door after him, and looked in amazement at the cobbled street and the little shops that lined the way. Sophie immediately went over to her and shut the door before Megan ventured out into the streets.

" What happened to all the flowers?" She asked, incredulous.

" It's a magic door, see?" Sophie said, reaching up and turning the knob purple down and opening it up once more. There, the castle had begun to drift slowly and cautiously through the flowers. Before Megan could jump out again, Sophie shut the door and changed the knob to orange down and opened the door again on the mansion drive. She noticed that the grass was starting to grow back around the edges, something that caused her no small amount of relief. She shut the door once more and turned to Megan, who had such a strange look in her eyes. " Understand?"

" Not really, no. Where is this room really?"

" Market Chipping, the town out the door Micheal left too."

"Oh."

" I didn't think to ask that until I was here for weeks." Sophie added, looking at the older woman oddly.

They stood there in an awkward silence. Calcifer seemed strangely quiet and subdued, crackling low in his grate and eyeing Megan suspiciously. Sophie looked around the room, looking at the scattered debris.

" Er, I should get to cleaning up then, if you don't mind. If you like, you can just sit down or... something." Sophie said, still quite unsure as what to _do_ with Megan now that it was apparent that she wasn't going to leave, especially after accepting the awkward I'm-inviting-you-to-dinner-because-it's-only-polite-but-I-really-meant-shouldn't-you-be-going-home-now invitation.

" Nonsense, I'll help you clear up," Megan insisted, rolling up her sleeves, " House probably needs a good once over anyway." Sophie had to resist the urge to do something drastic to Megan then, letting her eye twitch slightly.

" I'm not a completely incompetent as a housekeeper you know. But it isn't everyday that Howl decides to crash the castle into a hillside." Sophie said, trying to keep her voice calm, " You should have seen it before I moved in." She added in her defence as she lifted up a shelf that had fallen from its supports. The bottles and books on the shelf were still affixed firmly on, even as it twisted nearly sideways when it's heft slipped from her grasp. Quickly, Megan grabbed hold of the other end, and together they put the shelf in its place.

" I can only imagine. I doubt that Howell ever cleaned the place on his own initiative." Megan replied, moving over to the pile of things that had fallen off the workbench when it tipped, " And if there is one thing I have learned about teenage boys, it is that they never clean unless threatened." Megan added as Sophie handed her an apron, and Megan began to pick up some of the larger pieces of glass, and placed them on the apron.

" Neither of them did. The place was drowning in filth. It took me three whole days before I could tell what colour the walls really were."

" Were there spiders? When we were children, Howell's room was always covered in spiders" Megan asked, carefully gathering up the glass and dumping it in the waste bin. " Have you got a broom?" Sophie handed her one, and Megan began to sweep up the remaining glass, and the silver sparks, which had turned into tiny pieces of something smoky grey and translucent that Sophie could not identify

" There are still spiders. Howl loves them, and he won't let me touch them. I probably wouldn't anyway ; It's not worth the tantrum or the pouting" Sophie replied, grabbing a rag from a basket that she kept for such things. She looked with dismay at the purple liquid that had come from one of the smashed doors. It was creeping towards her and sinking between the floorboards in a slowly spreading stain. She dabbed at it gingerly with her rag, unsure what the magical liquid would do. It hissed and set the corner of her rag on fire. Sophie quickly blew the tiny flame out and glared at the purple mess. Large whitish chunks had started to form in it. " You stop that right now." She told the muck. It stopped advancing. She grabbed an empty jar from the shelf under the workbench and held it menacingly towards the mess. " Into the jar you go, or I will mop you up and throw you out, flaming rags or no. Or I will dump water on you." She added, seeing the mess recoil, and then, amazingly, begin to flow in a delicate stream into the jar, the whitish chunks dissolving in mid-air.

" That's true," Megan said distractedly as she watched the mess clean itself up magically, " So it really is magic." Sophie couldn't think of anything to say in response to that, so she didn't say anything at all.

They went on cleaning for a bit in a silence that was half way between being companionable and awkward. Sophie noticed then, that her cubby under the stairs had gained a wall, and a solid looking oak door. She hadn't looked inside though, because Megan would always come up with some question to distract her, or she would see another magical mess that required her attention. It was no matter. She would have time later to see what Howl did to it. In between questions and requests for more supplies, the two women kept to an uneasy silence, filled only with the sound of scrubbing and cloths being dipped in water. Much to their mutual dismay, they had found that the only thing they could agree upon was Howl. Both cleaned with the uncomfortable knowledge that there was a woman on the other side of the room who loved Howl in her own way, who would secretly do almost anything for the man, even if it meant complaining and pretending what a horrible hardship it was.

The casual observer would also note that, no matter how much the two woman pretended to be irritated with Howl's many character failings, neither would want to change a thing about him really ; Megan knew, deep down that her Howell could never be the respectable person she had always hoped to have for a brother. Sophie kept trying to imagine him without any of the supposed weaknesses of character that Howl was prey to, and found that the man she came up with was simply not the same, not her Howl. The most important thing of note here, is that each woman was utterly convinced that the other was really going to try and change him, or at least change him too much, and it secretly terrified them both. This made the other woman The Enemy, to be wary of at all costs. With the label of The Enemy firmly affixed to the other woman came the adding of silent and irrational blame. Megan found herself wanting to attach to Sophie the blame for Howell's disappearance and his infrequent and random re – appearances. Meanwhile, Sophie's mind became occupied with blaming Megan for the reason Howl felt he couldn't go home to Wales any more, and the reason he ran away in the first place

Thus, Michael returned to a very awkward scene, cheerfully carrying a large pie and, unsurprisingly, a sumptuous looking cream cake from Cesari's. Megan and Sophie had been, unknowingly, watching each other out of the corner of their eyes for ten minutes without speaking. Five minutes before he had arrived in the door, they had finished their cleaning, leaving them nothing to do but stand there and stare. Neither was quite willing enough to let the other out of her sights for long enough to move on to other rooms, such as the bathroom, or to venture up the stairs to check on Howl. After that, the situation had rapidly dissolved into a staring match in deathly silence.

As Michael entered the room, he could almost feel the energy crackling around the silent room between the two women. Such waves of unspoken accusation rolled over him that he wondered what he had done wrong for two days before the feeling would subside. However, his cheerful entrance had broken the steely glares of the pair somewhat, though the tension did not subside.

" Michael," Sophie said, not removing her gaze more than an inch from Megan's face, "Set the pie to heating in the oven. Calcifer, don't argue with Michael and just heat it up for me." Then she paused, and adjusted her gaze somewhat to look at Megan. " I hope that a pork pie is alright with you."

" Oh, that's fine dear." Megan replied in a polite and pleasant tone, never removing her gaze.

"Micheal, why don't you go check and see how Howl is doing." Sophie said pleasantly. The young apprentice quickly scrambled up the stairs, eager to be far away from this strange battle.

But, just as they heard the door click shut to Howl's room, the battle ended. Megan sort of nodded at Sophie, and giving way to age, Sophie blinked back before doing the same kind of half nod that Megan did. In that tiny guesture, they seemed to say: " I don't really like you, and I don't think that you like me. However, Howl/Howell needs you, so I'll tolerate you for now." Of course, the agreement was far more complex than that, as complex as an agreement sealed with a head gesture and ten minutes of silence could be.

When Michael returned, anxiously, down stairs, certain to find a scene of utter carnage, or worse, more deadly silence, he instead found the two woman chatting amicably about window cleaner. This was obviously too much for Michael to take, and he looked at Calcifer, who shrugged at him with a little blue flare, explaining that he didn't understand what was going on either. Megan had seemed disinclined to notice him thus far, and he wasn't going to ruin it by opening his big trap.

" So the fight is over then?" He asked cautiously from the stairs, in case his hasty retreat was necessary.

" Fight? Whatever made you think we were fighting Michael?" Sophie asked, a strange tint to her voice.

" Yes, young man, Sophie and I are just having a chat ." Megan said, a different but similar strain on her voice, "Sophie dear, is the pie warm enough yet?" She asked.

Sophie tested the center temperature and informed her that it would be a few more minutes. " Oh, and I guess we should make some soup or something in case Howl wakes up." She added. Calcifer sunk lower beneath his logs, burning a sullen green colour.

" Don't sulk you silly fire demon, I'm not going to pour it on you." Sophie added crossly, poking at the logs with an iron poker. Megan studiously ignored the fact that Sophie was talking to her fire.

" I can make some soup for him." Megan volunteered, picking up a medium sided black stewpot that Sophie kept beside the hearth

" No, no, you're a guest, let me make the soup" Sophie insisted, taking the pot from Megan.

" But I insist. I'm very experienced at preparing meals. A little thing like soup would be no problem. You concentrate on the rest of your house." Megan replied, taking hold of the pot. This time, Sophie was quite unwilling to let go. Michael could sense another deathly staring match, so he chose this opportunity to shout out:

" I think the Pie is done!"

Argument dropped, but not forgotten, they set the table and settled down, all three to a moderately comfortable meal. The arrival of the cake also seemed to pacify the raging beasts, as it's quite had to stare someone down with a dab of Bavarian cream on your nose and a mouth full of moist and delicious cake. After the dinner was over (They left a slice for Howl ), Megan promptly and purposly scooped up the stewpot and began searching around for ingrediants. Once more, Sophie tried to tell her that she didn't need to do any more work.

Michael saw that another fight was coming, so he attempted to seat himself close to Calcifer. At least this was the verbal type of fight. He could deal with that kind.

" Betcha that if Howl wasn't faking before, he is now." Cacifer muttered to the young man under his breath.

" I won't take that bet." Michael replied, watching them

" Why not?"

" Because that bet is so heavily skewed in your favour that it isn't even worth considering." Michael replied.

* * *

This is officially the most popular story I have ever written, and I can't take credit for it. I'm afraid I'm going to have to blame all of you for it. As of such, I will now officially thank all of you by name: 

Thanks a million to: (In roughly reverse chronological order)

Itasuko-chan – Wow, thanks I'm flattered. I'm not sure I've ever had someone just come up and say only that before (head swells a little bigger).

Mimea – mmm 'bad' feelings, I hope that I didn't disappoint with this, especially on the yelling.

MaidM – oh... yah, the grammar thing. I try, I really do (she says sheepishly). The story is almost over tho, but I promise to get a beta for my next venture . But Thanks a bunch for your support and for being such a loyal reviewer

Aura Rayne – Thanks! That you love it makes me really happy!

Faded Rose – I'm glad. I'll try my best to get the last bit out quickly!

Moongold – I'm glad you are glad, and I'm especially glad to have made someone glad, especially involving my girl Megan.

Platinum Wind – I hope that the movie was worth it for you! I certainly thought it was.

Shiro Ryuu – Glad you also want to see the movie! Thanks for the encouragement!

nyaaaaaauuuuuuuu – Wow, that's a lot of U's and A's . I'm glad to know that there is someone who feels the same way I do about HMC. It just kind of draws you in no? Not even just the story, which is good, but Howl, and the whole world of his castle. Anyway, thanks for the praise.

Earth Star – Thanks! I was wondering what Megan's reaction would be as well, so I slithered out in a rather Howl – like fashion :p

Rose Black – Thanks for the advice, (me forgetful and good at missing things o.o) Glad you wanted more !

Rowana S – Wow, thanks for being my first review for this fic, and thanks even more for keeping up with it! (and Thanks even more than that for catching all my moron mistakes .)

Fire Spirit - I guess you found out what made it a mistake eh? But I love it when people guess and speculate, it makes me feel the need to be evil, and when that happens, we all win. Or at least I win...

Kasuima – Wow, glad you liked it! Your note was very encouraging!

Invader Neo - I would love to be your friend (You can never have to many!). Thanks for the praise!

Anonymous Cat – For a bit I thought you really were anonymous! (love the name tho). Darn you for pointing out my plot hole! Shushy! But I'm glad you liked the phone conversation, that was one of my favorite bits too .

Sunoko – ahh, another of my many hen peckers at the grammar. Still I appreciate it, it makes me feel ashamed, then it makes me read grammar books, then forget everything, write, make fewer mistakes, get heckled again and read a grammar book... Thanks for your comment tho!

M.M – Yay! I've always wanted to write something funny . Glad you enjoyed it.

Riana 1 - I am extremely flattered! (Head inflates a thousand times bigger than it should). The image of Howl cowering in front of Megan is one I treasure every time I think of it...

And thanks to all of you who read who did not review, I hope that you enjoyed reading this little fic of mine, and I most sincerely hope that you will continue to read in the future.

Lastly, and this is **Important**: I'm going away for two weeks starting Friday, so I won't be able to get anything out to you during that time (Cabins in the woods don't frequently come with DSL , and though I can get there with my cell phone, such an operation is far beyond my technical capacity with such things.) But again, only a few more chapters. I intend for this to have a concrete ending so I should be done soon. Sorry once more for my screw ups. I promise a proper editorial process when I get back

Min


	6. In which there are absolutely no

_**Megan**_

By Min Farshaw

Chapter six: In which there are absolutely no explosions

* * *

It may seem odd to take such an abrupt and seemingly unwarranted break in the narrative at this most crucial point in the story, the near climax and the point of highest tension, as the standard, grade school definition goes. However, it is of the utmost importance that certain facts are brought to light.

The first of which, of course, was that Howl had indeed 'done it on purpose' as Megan so aptly observed. Howl had placed himself in a type of harmless magical coma that he would come out of several days later, hopefully after Megan had gone home and given up on him for the time being. A cowardly action for sure, but Howl was never one to claim himself an extraordinarily brave man. Well, not when he was being honest anyway. A fact, not quite as important as the first, but related nonetheless (Let's call it a Sub Fact) was that Michael, nor Sophie, nor Megan had yet identified the true cause of Howl's inability to wake up. In another Sub -Fact, Calcifer the fire demon was probably the only one capable of identifying just what his former heart donor had done to himself, and he wasn't talking. The reasons for which are revealed as we move on to our next important fact.

The second important fact that should be noted was that Megan herself had a small degree of magical talent, something that, incidentally, Howl had known for a very long time. It is rare for someone with even the smallest degree of aptitude in the arts Arcanum, even in the extremely magical country of Wales, where the landscape had been so heavily ensconced with magical lore that it left none for it's inhabitants. However, it would have been rarer still for a man of Howl's enormous potential to be born while the rest of his family remained as magically defunct as road gravel. So, by some unfortunate accident of genetics, practical, down to earth Megan Parry had some small ability to be trained as a witch, if not to the same degree as her dishonest and thoroughly irresponsible brother.

It is perhaps lucky for Howl that, for the majority of her life, Megan Parry (Formerly Megan Jenkins) firmly refused to believe in such nonsense, and, as a result, nearly all of the moderate mystical energy possessed by Megan had been directed inwards, hiding itself and sealing the power away from Megan, protecting her from the harsh reality that not everything had a practical explanation. Megan had married a thoroughly practical and completely common man, who had no more aptitude for this sort of thing than a carrot does for Quantum Physics. That is not to say that Gareth Parry was vegetative or unintelligent, just normal. Neil had not inherited many of the Jenkins' genetic traits, and was as normal as his father. Young Mari might have gained the benefits of her Uncle's unique talents, but it was really too early to tell.

It was for this reason that Howl did not want his dear family member to breech the door that lead to his moving home in Ingary, the land where things like moving castles and Seven League boots really did exist, for he feared that Megan would learn of her now far diminished capacity to perform magical acts. She would also probably learn that Howl had artfully placed no less than seven charms and spells on her person to hide and suppress the magical potential that lay under her skin.

As such, we are brought back to yet another important Sub - Fact: Calcifer. As fire demons go, he was not particularly evil or unfriendly. However, one whiff of the charms surrounding the older Jenkin's sister had sent Calcifer sneezing and huffing back to the grate, where he sat, watching her with wary eyes like she was a bomb that would go off at any moment .

Having made this analogy, it is most unfortunate that the image of Megan exploding has most likely entered you minds. Please put this aside and rest assured that Megan will not explode, splattering icky bits all over the walls. Because it would be cruel to keep you in suspense, it must now be noted that no one will be exploding in this story, as there has been enough of that going on already. It might even be better to continue on and say that Megan does not explode in a magical sense either, as that would be rather inconvenient for the newly put together castle, on which an entire chapter was wasted. One might even go so far as to say that this is an explosion free chapter in all possible respects.

Having learned such things, we may now comfortably return to the scene at hand, that of a peaceful dinner between a group of people only loosely held together by one unconscious and unconscionable man.

" The pie was a bit salty and cold," Megan said before pausing, " Though I'm sure it's quite lovely for what you can get out here." She said 'Out here' like it was a hut in the middle of the desert.

" Oh I do hope you liked it. I'm afraid it's all we could do for an uninv- unexpected guest on such short notice" Sophie said sunnily, "I suppose the pies you buy back where you came fr- where you live are filled with steak and prime rib."

"Oh yes, But I make all my pies from scratch. But I can make do with what you choose to serve at your table. I suppose that you don't have proper refrigeration do you?" Megan asked politely, indicating the remnants of the pie. There was a pot of soup on the fire which had bubbled over, much to Calcifer's silent dismay. Any thoughts of feeding it to Howl were now abandoned.

" Oh dear me no, we buy our food fresh every day, don't we Michael" Sophie said, a little warning tone in her voice that dared the apprentice to contradict her.

" Oh, er, yes we do." Michael said, his eyes darting between the two gladiators at the table.

" How very old fashioned of you." Megan said off handedly. " Who does the shopping? I doubt Howell remembers"

" Michael and I do it." Sophie said shortly.

" Are they fighting?" Michael asked Calcifer quietly, eyeing the women as they exchanged backhanded compliments .

" Stay out of it kid." Calcifer muttered back, " You don't want to be caught in the middle of that."

The half -argument continued, as the conversation became more and more stiffly polite until Michael decided to but in.

" Ah, Sophie, why don't we go look for that extra room Howl was supposed to put in. It's getting rather late." This came in the middle of a set of expressive comments detailing the sanitary facilities of the castle. It was getting rather dark outside, and Sophie agreed to look with him for it. Megan decided to stay in the living room and 'clear up', which Sophie thought secretly meant to: 'poke my nose into everything'.

The first place they checked was obviously under the stairs, the room that had gained a new door. Sophie told Michael as they approached that, this was obviously where her room was, so she didn't see the point in exploring, when she reached for the doorknob. It opened without a creak to reveal a perfectly ordinary broom closet, equipped with a brand new fleet of brooms, mops, rags and buckets. Like the man he was, Howl had forgotten to include any soap or cleaner at all.

She reached out curiously to finger one of the stylish looking, but probably completely non-functional aprons that hung from the hook inside. All of her pictures and shells had gone, as had her change of clothes.

"Huh." Sophie simply said, staring at it. Her mouth twisted up like she had bitten a particularly sour fruit.

"Howl must have put another room upstairs." Michael said, so they trooped up the steps, even though Sophie was certain that she hadn't seen a new door up there.

True to her suspicions, there was no extra door in the short hall at the top of the stairs. Thoroughly exasperated, she turned to go back, but Michael stopped her, pointing to Howl's room. Curious, she entered it to see a previously un-noticed new door there in the wall nearest to the back of the house. She figured that she must have missed it while she was stressed about Megan being in Howl's room.

Before proceeding, she checked on Howl, listening to his long deep breaths and checking his pulse, an operation that caused her to brush impossibly golden locks of hair out of his eyes. She checked his temperature too, laying her hand against his cheek and forehead. All were normal. Slow, but normal, just as if he were asleep.

Having spend a few more precious moments by the side of Howl, Sophie sighed and got up. The door was on the left side of the room, where Michael stood patently waiting. Sophie first tried opening the door normally, but the knob wouldn't turn, as if it were locked. This was a problem easily solved by Sophie ; she was a witch after all.

"Unlock door," She commanded, pulling at the knob. It still remained shut fast, " Please be a good lock for me and unlock," She said, trying again. The lock still remained shut, so she tried shouting at it," You! Door! Unlock right now!" Still it remained shut. She tried pleading with it, begging it, and finally threatening it. It finally opened with a sullen click.

Triumphant, Sophie pulled at the door again only to find that it still refused to open. The source of her troubles appeared to be the five paper seals that adorned the door frame. Frustrated she peeled one of them off with a mutter about obstinate, difficult men. Most annoyingly, the little piece of paper stuck to her hand and wrapped itself around her fingers. No matter how she shook it, it would not come away. When she tried to take it off with her other hand, the paper stuck there instead. She stuck it to the new wood of the door and it began to crawl back to it's original position with little crinkly papery noises. The other paper seals were much the same, only now they attempted to camouflage themselves, turning the colour of the wood and the wall. By the time she had gotten one off, the last one she took off had crawled its way back to its original position on the doorframe. Trying to remove several at once was no good ; the blasted things repeled eachother.

Sophie found that there was no ordering the recalcitrant bits of paper to loose their adhesive properties and allow her to remove them. In that way they had undoubtedly been imbued with a drop of the personality of their creator. The man in question was still soundly unconscious, sparing himself Sophie's wrath.

They trooped back down stairs again, very annoyed. Megan was sitting in the armchair with a cup of tea that she had gotten from somewhere. Calcifer was still low in the grate and looking very sulky. Megan must have boiled the water for tea over him as he hid. There were logs piled up all around the brooding fire, but Calcifer refused to rise any higher.

Megan sat, sipping her tea, a perfectly innocent look in her clear blue eyes. A look, Sophie realized, she must have learned from Howl. This made Sophie absolutely sure that Megan had done some snooping or at least something she shouldn't have been doing. However, unlike her miscreant brother, Megan rarely ever did things that required the assistance of a perfectly blankly innocent look, and as such, increased its potency.

"Well, Howl doesn't seem to be waking up anytime soon, " Sophie said, hands on her hips., " Why don't you head home and talk this whole thing out with Howl later. I'll be sure to notify you when he does recover."

Megan took a long sip of tea and closed her eyes, as if savouring the flavour.

" No. I've waited too long for this. I need him to own up to me, at least once. Ever since he started disappearing, It's like a part of him was stolen away from us, from the family. He was always a rouge and a scoundrel, but he had never seemed so remorseless over it before. No, Howell needs to be honest, for once in his life. So I'd like to stay here for the night." Then she added, as an afterthought," As long as it's alright with you Sophie dear." Megan sipped her tea, for all the world looking like an angular, blue eyed boulder that would not be moved.

Sophie thought about it, and her mind went back to the moment where Howl first told her that they were going to that fishy place to see his sister. She had been semi-glad then, for the interruption of the weird and entirely too personal moment she was having with Howl, glad that she didn't have to confront this whole mess really. Despite their conversation in the marsh (Which still made her blush) She and Howl hadn't worked anything out at all, and that was just his nature.

But the removal of his heart had hurt a great many more people that he had intended originally, and he could never set them, or himself straight without it. But now that he had it back...

" You can stay," Sophie found herself saying, and Megan smiled, "though I don't know where we'll all sleep."

* * *

The division of sleeping arrangements became quite the hairy matter. Reluctantly, but in a rather chivalrous way, Michael offered up his bed to their guest. However, upon entry to his room, they discovered it to be in even greater disarray than the rest of the castle, as Sophie's protective charm against things smashing from shelves didn't seem to have reached here. Even after they cleared all of the debris off the bed, it still did not look like an appetizing place to sleep. Megan graciously declined his offer, and Michael sighed with relief. They made up a messy pallet in the living room for Megan, and it wasn't until after they had finished that Megan said:

" Someone should stay with Howell, in case he wakes up."

Which is how Sophie found herself sitting on the edge of Howl's bed, wondering just how often the wizard got his nails done. His hand rested above the coverlet, and Sophie found herself staring at the perfectly trimmed, softly shiny nails that adorned his fingers. Staring at his face was no good, as it lead to Bad Thoughts, and opened questions that were really better left unasked. The carpet was clean and boring. The walls were plainly uninteresting, and there was not enough light from Sophie's single candle for her to read the titles on his bookshelves. He didn't move, and the flickering light from Sophie's candle cast dark shadows on his handsome face, which she was trying to not look at. Sophie found herself watching them until her eyelids grew heavy and she found herself with an irresistible urge to lie down across the foot of Howl's bed and go to sleep. There was a blanket and comforter on the floor for her, but this was just so soft, so right here, and the bed on the floor seemed a thousand miles away. Besides, Sophie reasoned as she snuffed out the candle with a yawn. It wasn't like she was sleeping _in_ Howl's bed, which would be indecent, just on top of the covers and at the end, which hardly counted at all. Just a quick rest...

Sophie was asleep and dead to the world the moment her head touched the soft springiness of Howl's mattress.

It is at this time that more facts of great importance should be brought to light, or if not light, at least to the dark room where Sophie was asleep and Howl lay in a rapidly fading magical coma. The fact is, of course, that Howl was not very good at inducing Magical Comas, and even worse at judging just how far the limits of his powers really extended.

Howl was, and is, an extraordinarily gifted sorcerer. The feat of raising the castle, traveling between worlds and teaching Sophie (Not to mention taking the flight of the castle entirely under his own power for a few moments) was the magical equivalent of a running a fifty mile triathlon without breaks. Most men and women would have crumpled with the strain less than an hour in.

But Howl had never even come close to draining his vast reserves of magic, and if he ever did, there was always the link with Calcifer to draw on. But, with that gone, and the events of the previous few days to consider, Howl had left himself with about enough magic to knock himself out for, at the most, four hours. His resilient body had begun to recover long before that, only aided by the specially induced slee.. As it were, he was due to return to at least a minimum working capacity within twelve hours -- of course at which time he did.

Sophie had passed from the blissful REM sleep of the near dead to that stage of half sleep where you aren't sure if you are awake or still dreaming. She did so because the covers further afield on the bed were being disturbed. No matter, it just meant she could move further up and perhaps steal some of the delicious warmth left behind by the previous occupant. This person paused at her feet before taking off her shoes and tucking her stockinged feet up and onto the bed, where Sophie's sleep clouded mind decided that they were much warmer, and thus snuggled in further to the pile of comforter that had been pushed in her direction. They smelled like apples and of Howl. Mmmm Howl. Howl.

Howl was up!

This was enough to pull Sophie out of dreamland so quickly that she got a brief but intense headache, and it was several moments before she could actually get up, by which time she was absolutely certain that Howl had escaped out the door to some far away land, never to return until she or Megan died of old age. Fears, of course, that were only partially correct. Howl would never have the patience to wait that long.

The house was was quite cold, and Sophie figured that Calcifer was still cranky and hiding. So she gathered Howl's blanket about her shoulders and crept out of the door, which was still open, her feet padding softly across the carpet. She slithered out to the hardwood floors in the hall, any footsteps muffled by the quiet noise of the blanket dragging across the ground. She creaked down the first few steps, still not entirely sure why she felt the need to be so silent.

Oh how houses groaned so at night!

The next step was shallower than she remembered, and her step came down with an audible thud. Sophie froze, listening as hard as she could, when she realized that Howl was talking to someone! To Megan!

This was such a shocking proposition that she had to sit down on the stairs, the blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She couldn't quite hear properly, so she scooted down a couple more steps, still concealed by the wall that hid half the stairs, but she could hear much better.

Glass clinked together, and a liquid was poured into one, two, three? cups. She heard a splash and a sizzle, and she realized that Howl had poured one of them on Calcifer. A glass clinked down on the table and was refilled. Sophie didn't think it was Calcifer's glass.

Megan chuckled in a rich, throaty kind of way, which was met by Howl's uneven snort, which came out in a sort of way that told Sophie that Howl was not going to be completely sober for the rest of this conversation.

" Whatever it is you blame me for Megan," Howl started, " I didn't do it."

" Oh Come off it Howell, let's be adults about this. You're at least twenty seven years old." Megan said, and then she cut him off " and I'm Old. I don't need you reminding me just how old I really am."

They paused, probably to take another drink.

"But for crisake Howell, what happened to you? One day you just disappear and you become someone else, so distant. You were always irresponsible, but this was a new turn for you Howell."

Howl sighed, and Sophie heard him slump into the armchair heavily.

" Ah. And now it comes out, the miserable story of the disreputable Howl Jenkins," He snorted again, " The end of my existance, it seems as a irresponsible, no good, good for nothing."

Then, for some reason, Howl explained himself, in a way at least. It was not entirely truthful, as he left out the parts where he had tantrums with green slime, or where he stole the hearts of young ladies, or even when he tried to deceive the king. But he told her about the magic (Albeit, he pinned most of it on Calcifer) told her about his heart (Also blamed on the fire demon), and, at the end, where Sophie was near dropping with exhaustion, he told her about Sophie.

He was fairly smashed at that point, and some of his words slurred together. Megan, who was considerably less drunk, had been pretty quiet up until this point. She sensed, as Sophie did, that Howl had a significant amount of unburdening to do. Hearts do that to people.

" an' Sophie..." He said, " She's far to good for me. Far too good."

" She's far too young for you." Megan said, causing Sophie to scowl.

" She's not!" Howl insisted. " I'm not old enough for her. Or I'm too old. She'll never stay. Soonaz me'n Calcifer broke the curse, I knew she was gone. Gone ferever." Sophie's sleepy brain had trouble sorting this out. He thought that she was going to leave him? Didn't he know she was terrified that he was going to leave her?

" Don't tell me you want to settle down?" Megan said, incredulous, slapping her drink down.

" Settle? I never settle Megan. I win." he slurred.

" A girl's heart is not a thing to win Howell."

"... Tried that... Din work. Too many girls, wimin, didn't love them enough. Sophie deserves better if she's gunna stay with me. If she's going to marry me." Sophie's heart gave a little start and she was sure that they could hear it pounding. Howl wanted to marry her?

" Marry you! Howl you asked her to marry you and you didn't tell me!" Megan yelled, seeming more upset about being left out than that her brother was getting married.

" Yeah I did!" Howl said, mustering up a smug tone that said he was proud of himself for making Megan angry. " At least I think I did. 's what I meant anyway." She heard the frown in his voice.

" Ah, no wonder she's so confused. You have to ask her properly." Megan said in a sagely tone, which rung with more than a hint of smugness.

" No I don't." He responded, sounding more like a five year old child than an adult of seven and twenty years. " I was going to, but you always ruin everything Megan." Megan sensed the impending tantrum, which, combined with Howl's relative state of sobriety, would not be pretty. Sophie sensed too that this was the end of the coversation.

" Of course I do Howell. Why don't you go back to bed" She said soothingly. Sophie knew that Older sister tone, having used it herself many times before on her recalcitrant sisters.

" 'sright." Howl muttered smugly, yawning behind his hand.

"... so you can have the strength to properly deny everything before I leave tomorrow morning." Megan added quietly so that Howl didn't hear. He started to head for the stairs, and Sophie quickly realized she would be discovered. She gathered up the goose down comforter and swept back to Howl's room just as he started to ascend the steps. She tried to make his bed, but she realized this was both a futile and pointless operation, as Howl never made his bed anyway.

Besides, she was so tired. Even Howl's heart pounding, drunken confession couldn't have kept her up much longer. She fell asleep, her arms an head on the low bed and her legs curled up on the buttery carpet.

* * *

Howdy folks, Glad to be back.

I was on Salt Spring Island, a place covered in real life hippies, Granola, and deer. It is also a place highly conducive to writing. I managed to squeak out this chapter, half an HMC one shot, and half of an original short story I've been writing for a while. It might have been all the organic food. It might have been the really Awesome used bookshop (Sabine's fine used and Rare books) I don't know what it was, but I want to go back with a desktop computer and just write all day.

I have also decided that Michael is the bravest character I know.

So, without further adue, thanks for reading, and I hope you'll review, for it makes me happy, and I'll write more for you.

-Min


	7. In which Howl spends a great deal of

_**Megan**_

By Min Farshaw

Chapter seven: In which Howl spends a great deal of time in the bathroom.

* * *

Light streamed through a narrow gap in Howl's curtains and struck Sophie right across the face, not quite unlike having your eyes gently flogged with flower petals. The moment she opened them, she had to shut them again right away. In the interest of the preservation of her corneas, she rolled over before opening them again, holding her arms up to her face so she peeked between the gap, in case the sun was going to play more nasty tricks on her.t 

The rest of the room was dark, except that narrow strip of illumination that had so blinded her just moments before. It ran across her hair and hand, to a little piece of it on the coverlet, before it jumped up to lie just across the bridge of Howl's nose, then onward over his head and ear. His mouth was slightly open, and his hair was a tangled rat's nest of golden strands. In the dark, half light of the room she could even pick out little bags under his eyes. She was admiring this image when she realized what it meant. She was in bed. With Howl. She and Howl were sleeping in the same bed. Together. She blinked twice before a furious blush bloomed on her cheeks and across her nose. Then she realized where his _hand_ was. It rested on her side, just where hip meets waist, and curled around a bit to her back. His other arm rested a scant few inches from her face, a strand of her hair tangled in his fingers.

She sat up immediately, which simply caused Howl's hand to slide down her side to come to rest just above her knee. Lucky for her, the hand was above the covers, just like the rest of Howl's body, which was laid out in an ungainly sprawl over the bed. In fact, Sophie was pushed so far to the edge of the bed that she was afraid for a moment that she might fall off. Worst of all, Howl was still smiling slightly.

" Howl." She whispered, trying to wake him up, " Howl" A little louder. He groaned and moved slightly in his sleep, " Howl!" even louder.

" Ah! Sophie, It's too early for that. Go back to sleep." He muttered. Then the hand, thankfully, returned somewhere to the vicinity of it's owner. The hand, and It's owner didn't sound the least bit repentant or concerned that _there was a girl in their bed_.

This was of a great deal of concern to Sophie of course, being the girl in Howl's bed. She pulled the blankets up to her chest, even though she was fully clothed.

" Howl!" She said, even louder than before. She couldn't think to say anything else to say that was appropriate for the moment.

" Please my dear, spare me my head, go back to sleep." Howl muttered, curling up into a smaller ball. Sophie stared at him, utterly unwilling to spare any pity for him, even though his drunkenness had been convenient for her the previous evening

" HOWL! How did I get here?" She shouted, drawing the covers even tighter against her chest. He looked at her, puzzled and bleary eyed.

" You fell asleep here of course. I would not have the heart to deprive a young lady of her bed." He said, thinking his sentence through carefully. His tone was pure, almost as to remind one of a chivalrous knight. A knight with a hangover that is.

" Then why are you here!" Howl winced at the volume before replying.

" Sophie dear, I need sleep as well. You wouldn't be so heartless as to deprive a hardworking wizard from _his _own bed would you?" Sophie blushed furiously for no reason again, because he was starting to give her that _look_. The one that made him look devilishly handsome and innocent at the same time. Even his bleary red eyes could not counter it. It just made him look more pathetic and worthy of her affection. _No!_ Sophie thought, _I will be strong! I will make him explain himself_. He brushed his hair back from his eyes before reaching out to tuck an errant strand behind Sophie's ear.

" Incidentally Sophie, Cariad, How would you feel..." _oh dear_ Sophie thought as he began speaking, _Oh my, he's not going to..._ when his speech was interrupted by a loud bang from downstairs.

" Ah! Howl what was that!" She cried, taking the opportunity to lean back from Howl. She was not ready for this. She wasn't dressed or anything! Howl scowled and tried to pull her closer again.

" It was probably nothing Cariad, if you'd let me finish..." He started, but Sophie cut him off again, the panic welling in her throat.

" Nothing! Howl what if it's a burglar or a murderer or something!" She yelled, finding a slight tinge of pity for his pained wince at the volume once more. " I'm going to go see what it is." Before Howl could say anything to the contrary, Sophie raced out of the room, her heart pounding like a drum in her chest.

She clattered loudly down the stairs, certain that she could hear blood pounding in her ears. There at the bottom was no burglar or murderer, come to vandalize their house in their sleep, but Megan Parry, rattling the knob above the door, and Calcifer, laughing his head off.

" Megan!" Sophie cried, pounding down the last few steps, " You aren't leaving are you?". In that sudden, horrible moment, Sophie felt an intense kinship for this woman, this sister of Howl that had so traumatized his younger years, for this woman that had convinced her wayward brother of the error of his ways, at least where proposals were concerned.

Megan looked a little ashamed for a moment, then drew herself up to pin her piercing blue eyed stare on Sophie.

" I have a family to attend to." She said cooly, as if Sophie were some kind of unwanted intruder or jailer. All sense of kinship for Megan quickly dissolved into seething anger once more. With that anger came a wave of relief that she knew that she didn't really like Megan.

" Leaving! Without so much as a goodbye or a thanks for dinner!" Sophie shouted, ignoring Megan's previous comment, " That's what I'd call extremely rude!"

" Rude! Rude!" shouted Megan, " At least I was brought up with proper manners!"

" Proper manners! Abandoning your own brother when he's ill!" Sophie screamed back, conveniently forgetting that Howl had awakened and had a lengthy conversation with his sister that evening, nor that he was probably getting out of bed at that very moment.

" I thought I was leaving him in capable hands. Obviously my faith was misplaced in a little girl!" Megan replied, hands on hips

"Little Girl! I've been older than you!"

Without pausing to consider the dubious validity of this statement, Megan drew in a deep breath, probably in preparation for a mighty declamation. However, she was interrupted before she could start by Howl, who had stumbled down the stairs enough to observe their fight.

" Megan, Sophie, please, don't fight on my account. I beg of you, think of my health!" He cried out in a desperate, self pitying tone.

" Stay out of this Howl!" The women shouted at him, their gazes never leaving each other. Howl promptly took a seat on the stairs, his lip pulled down in a full pout.

" Look at him! Like a whipped little dog! All because some shameless hussy like you got her hands on him to steal him away!" Megan shouted

"I stole him! I stole him away! More like you drove him away Megan, with all your shouting and bossiness!" Sophie yelled back, " That's why he is so cowed!"

" I don't have to stand here and take these... these false accusations!" Megan added, her tone so sour as if she had bitten a lemon as she spoke.

" Fine then leave this house! You were never invited to come here anyway!"

" Maybe I will!"

"Good!"

"Fine!"

"well?"

" ... I can't open the door." Megan admitted, some of the heat removed from her voice.

Sophie marched over and spun the knob to black down and pushed the door open to the familiar grey expanse. She found it difficult to keep up her own steaming facade as she did so.

" Umm, goodbye then." She said, the moment having turned considerably more awkward, " I mean, Get out!"

" err, right yes. Goodbye" Megan said, backing out the door, eyeing her slouched brother and the room until the nothing swallowed her completely. Sophie let the door fall shut with a click, and suddenly found that her legs would not support her. She slid to the floor and found choking sobs rising up in her throat. Tears blossomed in her eyes and she desperately tried to stifle them and her sobs with a pathetic little hiccup. This alarmed Howl, so he tottered down the stairs towards her, and crouched right in front of her slumped form.

" Ah! Sophie, why are you crying! You got rid of Megan!" he said, wiping away her tears with one hand. The look on his face was open and full of childish concern, " I've been trying to do that for years!" Sophie hiccuped again and drew herself into a tighter ball, trying to hid her face. He touched her hair in what Howl thought was a soothing motion. Sophie peeked up at him and began to cry, with great hiccuping sobs into his chest. She felt him wrap warm arms around her and pat her back awkwardly.

" What was that, Sophie?" He asked in response to her mumble

" Oh god Howl, your family hates me." She said, a little more clearly between sobs.

" What! Megan positively adores you!" Howl responded. Sophie stiffened and looked up at him with tear stained eyes.

" What are you talking about," She sniffed, " She c-called me names and insulted my cooking, the house and my life."

" Oh, that. Sophie love, Megan only lets herself get into really good arguments with family." He said, smiling at her. Sophie wanted to smile back, but Howl had said _family_.

" Wait, Howl, what do you mean by that. I'm not..." she started

" Ah Micheal!" Howl exclaimed, the panic barely audible in his voice, " Glad you could join us! Why don't you and Sophie get yourselves settled for breakfast. I'm sure my sister left some tea on." He planted a quick kiss on Sophie's cheek and promptly dashed off to the bathroom. Something had scared him off, Sophie suddenly knew.

A kiss, any kiss from Howl would have made her blush just hours ago, but now Sophie thought back to the boggy marsh, and the moment they had shared. Was he ever going to kiss her like that again? Was his desire to marry her nothing more than a silly drunken promise? And for someone who had drunk such a volume last night, shouldn't he have a hangover? Never mind his words a scant few minutes ago, while they were wrapped in the warmpth of sleep. He could have been asking her anything.

The answer to her last question was the easiest, as Howl poked a damp head around the door frame.

" Ah, Michael, do me a favour and mix up some of that brown powder in the third jar on the second shelf with a little lemon and water? Instructions are on the lid." He grimaced and shut the door behind him.

When taken down, the jar was labeled Headache Cure, though Sophie was fairly certain that the word 'hangover' had been scratched out and headache added over top. The powder formed a vile smelling glop that began to bubble and froth as soon as the lemon was added. Sophie and Micheal put it aside, far from their meal where they could not smell it and ruin their appetites. They started and ate breakfast without Howl, who still hadn't come out of the bathroom. His usual perfumes could not be smelled in the occasional rolls of steam that came from under the door, but Calcifer assured them that It was probably some new fad for him.

An hour passed.

Then two. Micheal ventured out into the garden by the waste to cut flowers for the shop. Sophie busied herself with cleaning up the rest of the house, but she was running on automatic, compulsively looking at the door. Occasionally she would hear a thump or a noise from inside, or a fresh roll of steam would creep out around the edges of the wooden door to ensure her that Howl was still inside and had not died.

By the time Micheal returned with a fresh basin of flowers, there was still no sign of Howl.

They opened up shop for the day, fifteen minutes late, to the ire of one young man with tousled blonde hair. Sophie snapped at him because his impossible shade reminded her somewhat of Howl, though the stranger had none of Howl's bearing and was at least five years too young. Besides, no one could truly match Howl's hair.

When four hours passed and still no sign of Howl Sophie began to worry.

" HOWL" She screamed, pounding on the bathroom door, " Howl! What's wrong with you! Open this door right now!"

" Go away Sophie, please, your shouting hurts my suffering head."

" Then why don't you come out here and take your headache cure." She asked, leaning against the door and trying not to grit her teeth in frustration.

" I'm Fine. I want to be alone. Please go away." Called Howl's voice from within. It was echoed and distorted, something to due with all the steam and plumbing in there.

Sophie went away, if only to scream into something. She returned to the shop and sold a woman who looked remarkably like a younger Miss Angorian, with a heart shaped face and raven tresses, a bouquet of flowers for the woman's sister's wedding. The blonde man from earlier walked in just as they were arranging it, kissed the Miss Angorian lookalike on the cheek. Sophie tried to keep her cool, but she charged the couple three times what she would have normally and amused herself by watching the roses in a nearby arrangement slowly wither and die.

After five and a half hours, Sophie's anger turned to worry, and the amusement of Calcifer and Micheal began to fade.

" Howl, Howl, come out, it's lunchtime." Sophie crooned.

" I'm not hungry" Howl's voice pouted back.

" But you missed breakfast! Come out and eat with Micheal, Calcifer and I. Micheal bought a quiche for each of us."

" I don't want to. Please leave me alone." Sophie's worry turned back to anger.

" Well if you won't come out, I'll bring food in too you." She hissed, and reached for the knob.

" Ah! Don't come in, I'm not decent." Howl's voice shouted. This made Sophie freeze. To see a young man while not decent was Not Proper. But then, the old lady in Sophie began to whisper in her ear.

" I don't care. I'm coming in." She said, and shut her eyes, turned the knob and pushed. The door was locked of course, which made her even more angry.

" Howl, Unlock this door right now! HOWL!"

Suffice it to say, the door did not open. So, Sophie left Micheal in charge of the shop, picked up one of Howl's dusty spell books and then started flipping.

At 2:30 PM, Sophie found the appropriate unlocking spell.

At 2:32, Sophie used this spell on the bathroom door, much to the chagrin of the voice of Howl.

At 2:32 and thirty seconds, Howl heard the scream of rage that let him know that Sophie had finally discovered that he had not been in the bathroom all day as had been previously assumed.

At 2:33, Howl began to walk faster.

* * *

The rest of this chapter just will not get itself written.I looked at the next paragraph that I wrote after this point and... well, It wasn't where I wanted to go, and wasn't what I wanted to write. I had intended to finish the whole thing with this chapter, with an epilogue coming after, but I've been making you wait so long... If I didn'tpost this now, I never would. so, probably only one more chapter, but I think you all know how good I am at predicting these things.

Did I mention that I love you guys to death? No, well I do, and I really appreciate your comments and criticisms. Probably need someone to kick my butt anyway. Quitting work and starting school has proven to be more stressful than I thought, especially since I think my manager has gotten angry that I gave her my letter of 2 week notice, and has thus been punishing me with all the really bad shifts, opening (at 6:00 AM) and closing (till 10:15). What am I saying, there is no excuse! None Bad girl!

On the bright side, some of the great authors in the first fandom I was ever overly obsessed with (DBZ) have mysteriously started to post again. This is awesome, but far too distracting.

So Yes, please come yell at me, I'd love to hear from you .

Love, Min


	8. In which Sophie and Howl are very wet

**Megan**

By Min Farshaw

_Chapter eight: In which Sophie and Howl are very wet.

* * *

_

This was the absolute last straw. It was penultimate. Sophie wasn't exactly certain what penultimate meant, but it had such a definite feel too it that she found it appropriate, and at just that moment, she couldn't be bothered with looking up the meanings of words.

She stormed up the stairs, felt the walls _quiver_ with the force of her will. Howl's bedroom door burst open, scattering the sheets of the unmade bed and the trash that had mysteriously accumulated there.

The seals around the edges of the extra door trembled with pathetic resistance as she directed at them the full force of her glare. They burst into flames all at once and fell to the carpet in little heaps of ash. Sophie touched the metal knob and she felt the inner workings of the lock melt away. A trickle of ultra-hot metal poured from the keyhole and Sophie flung it away, her magic protecting her bare hands. It hit the wall above Howl's headboard and stuck there like a chunk of glue, or perfectly done pasta. It did not burn the wall, but formed a particularly interesting threatening pattern over where Howl's head would normally be when he slept.

The lock broken, Sophie flung open the door. There was a closet behind it.

On some level, Sophie had always known that it was going to be a closet. After the strange closet full of cleaning supplies, Sophie had a strange feeling that the room issue was far from over. However, this did nothing to cool her temper. She blew past rows of hanging shirts and a few dusty jackets, far less elaborate than the silver and blue confection, or even the red and grey garment in it's lesser complexity. They were obviously very old, and didn't appear to fit very well. Sophie's one extra dress hung in the back, along with some ridiculous thing made of yellow and white silk that Sophie supposed Howl would look particularly dashing in. She stripped off the ruined grey silk dress, not even caring if Michael and the rest of the natural born world stood outside the door to the closet. The outer layer of petticoats went with it, and then the second, until she was stuck shivering in her shift. Her old dress went over her head, and a plain white apron soon followed to cover the places where she had to patch the woollen material. She even left the ruined clothes on the floor, a mark of her obvious rage.

Sophie stormed back to the main room. Micheal and Calcifer were there together, their heads bent in conference. She ignored them and began pulling book after book off the shelf.

" Locating spell." She growled, and the pages of the book she had selected ruffled open until the appropriate spell was turned face up on the page.

" Sophie! What are you doing!" Micheal cried in horror.

" Finding Howl."

" But you can't!" He said in protest

" Can't I?" Sophie asked dangerously.

" Umm, you're.. emotionally unstable and, err, it could umm lead to dangerous things?" Micheal attempted pathetically, surreptitiously attempting to ease the book from her hands, " Howl will come back on his own, I'm sure"

" No. No he won't" Sophie said, her hands flattening on the book, " He took his clothes with him, he isn't going to be back for a good long while." Micheal's mouth went round, the shape of an 'O'.

Sophie took this time to snatch the book from Micheal's hands. She screwed up her eyes so that she could read the words properly. It required an object of Howl's, so she pounded up the stairs, still reading. She came into Howl's room, and searched for any suitable object. On the night table lay a glittering pile of tangled jewelery, earrings mostly, but with one or two finger rings tossed carelessly into that jumble. She teased out a jet black taper that she remembered him wearing once. Holding it in her palm, she began to read.

The words were strange and foreign to her, and her tongue twisted around them in uncomfortable ways, and she began to feel the spell grow raw in her throat. As she read though, the words began to come to her faster and faster, jumping over each other in their rush to be set free. A wind, she was not sure if it were real or imagined, began to pick up at her feet as the magic began to burn. Suddenly she realized that she didn't know what she was doing any more, and her anger flashed to fear. It was too late to stop it now as the last three words flew out of her flaming throat. She found her body completing the spell with absolutely no instruction from her brain, as she blew gently on the earring.

For a moment nothing happened.

Then it was like lightning had struck her. Sophie felt all of her muscles contract into rigidity and all sound had just simply gone away. The next thing she knew, there was a smoking hole where Howl's bedroom window had been. The earring was no where in sight, and Sophie felt sick to her stomach. Worse, she still had no idea where Howl was. Sophie staggered over to the window and peered out but she couldn't see anything. She leaned out further and felt suddenly dizzy, as if the most intense feeling of vertigo had struck her. As the smoke cleared she saw herself looking out into Megan Parry's backyard.

This made so little sense that it left Sophie to lay hanging out the window in a daze, even though she could hear Micheal pounding on the door behind her, asking if she were alright. Sophie saw Megan herself tear out into the backyard, a soapy frying pan in hand, her sleeves rolled up to her elbows and her curly hair pulled back into a sloppy ponytail.

" What the blazes is going on out here?" Megan shouted, brandishing her pan like a weapon. She turned and saw the ginger haired girl hanging out the window, " Sophie?" She cried, shading her hand against the sun, " What the hell just happened?"

Sophie dragged her head up and tried to focus in on Megan without going queasy again. " I was trying to... I was trying to find Howl" Her words seemed strange to her own ears, " It didn't work. It didn't work, he's not here." she said dazedly. Her throat still felt raw and scratched

"Howell?" Megan asked, " He hasn't come back yet? He was here, didn't he tell you where he was going?" Sophie's vision began to clear and she found that her rage was slowly coming back to her. Howl was there? He had been to Whales?

" What are you talking about?" Sophie said, " He was supposed to be in the bathroom." Sophie was beginning to expect that Megan was catching her anger. Sophie found herself trying to climb out of the second story window against all reason. Micheal finally burst through the door just in time to see Sophie's red gold hair bobbing out of sight. He dashed over in panic too see her slowly and unsteadily climbing down a decorative trellis that Megan had set up outside her house.

" What are you doing!" Micheal asked in utter horror.

" Go watch the shop Micheal. I'm just going to track down Howl is all." Sophie said, concentrating on her next foothold. That was a lot harder than she thought it would be. Megan had apparently dropped the frying pan, because Sophie felt her tugging gently at her skirts. Gratefully, she let the older woman guide her down the final bit, mostly because she wasn't entirely sure if she could make it on her own. Micheal had apparently disregarded the order because he looked likely to climb down after her in fear. " I'm fine. Go look after the roses." Sophie shouted at him, before she turned away, not really caring if he did or not. The roses could go hang as long as she was concerned, she had a wizard to find

* * *

Sophie was both pleased and shocked to discover that the spell had indeed worked, after a fashion. She could _feel_ where Howl was, and he wasn't in Megan's house. He was... West ish she thought, and she felt a tug at her chest. The tug grew stronger, so she had to _move_. She had to find him now, so she started walking, brushing past the bewildered Megan and almost started climbing the fence before Megan pulled her down again.

" What on earth are you doing my dear?" Megan said, keeping her hand on Sophie's shoulder.

" I have to find Howl. I'm compelled to find him. If you let go of me right now, I'll probably climb over that fence and run him down." Sophie said, and shivered at the sound of her own voice, " If you don't let go of me, I'll probably do something I'll regret, and I won't be able to stop myself. Please let me go Megan." Sophie had begun to crackle somewhat, so Megan let go. Sophie climbed over the fence with a determined look on her face.

She pattered down the street, suddenly realizing that she had no shoes. However, even this failed to stop her. She used to run around shoeless all the time when she was little. The rough texture of the ground bit into her soles as she began to move faster and faster, ignoring the small, pointed stabs of the gravel that was scattered about. The direction was coming clearer now, and faster. Turn right here, up this street. She had taken to running across the broad black/grey expanse of road without care. She was certain that someone almost hit her at least once. She didn't know how long she walked for, or how long the spell had taken, but it was starting to grow dark.

_This is the building_ she thought suddenly, looking up. It was a drab brick thing with a glowing sign at the second floor window. The bottom looked to be some sort of corner shop or something. She pushed her way in to the tinkle of a little bell.

The shopkeeper behind the till looked up from his newspaper, first at her face, but she saw his eyes travel downward, taking in the dishevelled state of her hair, her odd manner of dress and finally her bare feet.

" 'ey You can't come in here like that miss!" He said with a rather pointed glance to her dusty feet. Sophie ignored him, and began to pointedly stalk the rows of merchandise that lined the store. Not There. He wasn't there. That was... impossible, she felt him, he was right where she was standing.

" Where is he, where are you hiding him?" Sophie cried, standing right before the portly shopkeeper. He calmly folded his newspaper.

" I don't know strictly who you're talking about miss." He said, adjusting his piggy little glasses, " If it's your young man or some such, you might want to try upstairs at the pub" He pointed upwards with the paper. Sophie's gaze followed the paper product and suddenly she knew. _He_ was there.

" Show me, How do I get up there." She said. It wasn't a request, it was an order. The man adjusted his glasses again,

" You head round back and up the stairs under the sign. First door on your left" he told her, appraising. Then he glanced down at her bare feet again. " On the other hand missy, you're in no condition to be wandering around in dark alleys. I'll take you up the front way." He touched his glasses again, and for the first time, Sophie looked down at her feet. She blushed ashamedly at him, and he smiled a little. What was she really doing here after all?

Sophie followed the man back through the store to a little side door. He pulled out a large jangling bunch of keys from his belt and unlocked it. Sophie stepped through cautiously.

" Ye be needing any help missy?" The shopkeeper asked suddenly, grasping her arm, " Young men are an unpredictable lot." Sophie smiled suddenly at this strange, courteous man.

" I'm fine, I'll be fine." She told him, suddenly feeling like herself again, " I'm sorry for earlier." She turned then and went up the long dark stairwell.

There was a door at the end, with a tiny landing. She opened it a crack, suddenly finding that all of her anger had gone. She was drained of it, like water escaping a balloon, and now she felt stretched. But she opened it anyway, to poke her nose around.

The room was nearly empty of patrons, only a few rugged looking men scattered around drinking alone or in pairs at the scattered tables. It was a weekday now after all. Howl was relatively easy to pick out, being the only one in a jacket, and the only man who appeared to brush his hair on a semi-regular basis. He sat alone at the bar nursing a mug of something. She wanted to go in, but something held her back.

" What was I thinking," He said quietly, hunching over on his barstool, " A girl like her, What was I thinking!"

"Cheer up then," said the barkeep, " it can't be that bad. From what you said, I get the impression..."

"Blast impressions!" Shouted Howl, " She... do'you know what she's done to me! She's infiltrated every part of my life, every part of my head and I can't get her out."

Sophie stood stock still, completely unsure of his meaning. Why was she always unsure? Why could she never get closure on this issue? It made her head hurt Did he want her out? Was all that marrying buisness just drunk talk? But he was drunk again now wasn't he?

The bartender said something then that Sophie didn't hear. She wormed her way through the door a bit so she could hear better. One of the dirty patrons looked at her, but she didn't hear

" She's the wrong age," Howl said, and Sophie's heart stopped, " It was simple before. She was old and nothing had to happen. Nothing had to happen. She was safe." He took a long draught, " Too young She's too young."

" I think you've had a few too many." Said the bartender, but the damage would done.

"What are you talking about, this is only my second drink."

Sophie's heart started beating again and she wanted it to pound out of her chest. She had to get out, she couldn't look at him any more, not after that. She slammed the door with a choked sob and pounded down the stairs. The shopkeeper had left the door at the bottom ajar, so she tore through that too, locking it behind her with magic.

" You alright Miss?" the man asked, but she didn't hear, just staggered out the door into the street. A yellow street lamp was lit, and she realized that it was night. When did that happen? Where did the hours go? Did it matter? Sophie was in love with a man and he couldn't stand her. Old, why couldn't she be old again. Then she was _safe_ then he was safe.

One of those wretched moving metal beasts rolled up to the curb, and the window scrolled down to reveal a very concerned looking Megan. Michael sat in the other seat, looking concerned as well, but almost as if he were going to be sick.

" Sophie dear," Megan called, " are you alright?" No she wasn't.

" I'm alright," She sobbed, " Just let me go. " She bolted again, staggering in front of the hood of Megan's car. Another blazing metal beast rushed by her as if to prevent her from crossing but she ran through anyway, the gravel of the road biting painfully into her feet. She ran blindly until her feet felt cool grass. She was in a park. She tripped and fell, grass stains on the knees of her dress, but she kept running until she found the fountain. Finally, Sophie stopped, gasping for air in choking sobs.

" Sophie!" She stiffened. It was a man's voice. It was _his_ voice. She stayed turned, resting her hands on the fountain's cool stone rim. " Sophie!" again came the cry, closer this time. Her hands dipped into the cool water, " Sophie," She heard, as his breath whispered against the back of her neck, warm in the cool summer evening's air. She felt a hand at her elbow, grasping, unsure. She turned, her hands full of water and slapped him in the face.

Howl staggered back , water dripping from his lashes and the ends of his carefully dishevelled hair. She wanted to scream, but the expletives wouldn't come.

" What was that for!" He shouted, cradling his injured cheek. She stared at him accusing. He sighed, " You heard. What did you hear."

" Enough."

" I was drunk."

" It still means you thought it."

" Thought what?" he begged, trying to approach. She pressed closer to the cool stone.

" Is that how you think of me Howl! That I'm better of as an old lady?" she sobbed, " So you don't have to do anything, you don't have to try. Am I too young? I'm not a miss Angorian, twenty five with raven black locks. Just nineteen with ginger hair. You want me out Howl? Well you win."

" Sophie! No!" He begged. He tried to touch her shoulder and she jerked away violently, sending Howl unexpectedly head first into the fountain. He was wearing a new jacket, she suddenly realized, green and black. He looked so pathetic, drenched to the nines and the spout of the fountain drizzling onto his hair, plastering it onto his head. She reached out her hand, and found herself in the fountain beside him.

" HOWL!" She screamed with rage, and launched at him. Water sprayed up around them as he splashed back into the water. The fountain wasn't deep, only about five inches, But she did her best to hurt him ; Her fist flew at his chest. He grunted but didn't move, only waited for her to stop. He rose out of the water and gripped her shoulders straightening them out so that the spout of the fountain splashed off to one side. She shivered ; The water was cold.

" Sophie I can't get rid of you. I could never get rid of you. No matter how far I run away you're always there in the back of my head, reminding me to come back to you. I... I would never want to get rid of you." He said earnestly, his voice strangely stuffed, as if he were getting sick again. She couldn't look him in the eyes.

" And my age?"

" I'm a coward Sophie. You, me, Us, it scares me half to death thinking that you might not want me, that a beautiful young girl like you would see me as too old for you. When you were old I was safe. I didn't have to take action, and I didn't have to fear someone stealing you away. But now... Now Sophie I'm afraid every day some young man is going to come along and take you away from me. But I'm afraid to stop them I'm afraid to do the one thing that would stop them forever. I'm a coward, such a coward. That's why I ran away. I tried it once, tried to... stop them but I got interuppted and I got scared again and I ran away."

She looked at him then, those dishonest eyes filled with a fearful hope. She hit him again, and he fell back into the water, blinking, Sophie leaning over him.

" You stupid idiot!" She yelled, " Didn't you get it! There wasn't going to be anyone else. I couldn't even think about anyone else because of you!" She was crying now, harder than before, " Because I love you."

There, it was out. Everything was silent save the sound of water splashing into the fountain and the gentle sound of auto mobiles far in the background. The wind didn't even rustle the trees. It was the moment of truth.

" Oh thank everything that is holy!" Howl suddenly exclaimed with relief, and Sophie suddenly found herself half submerged in the fountain because Howl was kissing her.

" You don't hate me" Sophie exclaimed between breaths and kisses, " Even though I'm bossy and nosy and cut up all your clothes"

" God Help me Sophie I love you because of all that!" He said, and Sophie saw him reach for his pocket -

- and freeze.

" Err, I'll be right back." He said moving to get out of the fountain. He loved her? He had said it right, her ears hadn't decived her. All other noise seemed to fade into the background. He had said it and he had kissed her...

" Looking for something Howell?" Rang a voice from above their heads. Howl clambered out of the shallow baisn, his jacket plastered to his back, water dripping off him in droves. Sophie remained frozen, kneeling in the shallow water, her hands coming protectively to her brest, "I'll give it back if you promise to be at least somewhat respectable" Megan called, calmly stepping out of Howl's dripping reach.

" What do you take me for Megan?" he asked, one hand behind his back, fingers crossed, "I am nothing if not respectable."

" I take you as my irresponsible, keniving little brother, that's who." She said, then sighed, " But the time for me to mother you is long past," and gave him something that Sophie didn't see.

" Thank you. Now, if you'd kindly..." He said, raising that dashing eyebrow of his.

"Nope." She said smugly, crossing her arms, " Who would willingly give up a front row seat to the most unlikely event of our generation?" Howl turned stiffly away from her, but paused, and ran a his fingers carelessly through his hair. All of the water ran out of his suit and hair leaving the green and black jacket stiff and dry and his hair so carefully and dashingly dishevelled. From his pocket he drew a gold earring with an emerald bauble and fastened it to his ear. He... glistened.

He walked up to her with long, measured strides and caught her hand with his own and knelt down in the grass and smiled up charmingly at her. His _teeth_ sparkled. She was forced to bend down a little from her position in the fountain to accommodate him.

" No wait! I'm all wet and..." Sophie cried out suddenly, realizing what was going on.

" That doesn't matter. " he said, brushing her wet locks aside gently with one hand, still grasping hers, " Sophie Hatter, I love you, for older or younger, for all the magic in the world. Sophie will you marry me?" He pulled the little black velvet box forward and flicked it open with a showman's ease to show her a solitaire diamond set in a ornate gold band.

Sophie looked down at his sparkling teeth, and his glossy blonde hair gleaming against the dark silk of his jacket, glinting of the emerald in his ear, and made her decision. She wanted to do this right.

" No."

" What!" Howl cried in despair and was about to jerk away when Sophie pulled him back.

"Wait." She said. Gently she pulled the jewellery from his ear and placed it carefully on the fountain's rim. She smudged the make-up from under his eyes (which had miraculously avoided running in the water) and filled her cupped hands with water, which she promptly dumped all over his head, ruining his hair and soaking his jacket once again. His ultra charming smile had faded to a look of abject confusion, and she placed her hand alongside his cheek.

" But I will marry _you. _ I don't need the peacock or the popinjay. I don't need a wizard or a knight. I just want to marry you."

Light dawned in his eyes and he smiled at her like a blind idiot. She found herself smiling back and Howl slipped the ring on her finger and picked her up off the fountains rim and they twirled around together, laughing like children.

" But I guess I'll take the other half too. It's a package deal." She told him after they stopped, and he kissed her again, and for once, Sophie felt no consternation whatsoever.

" Come on now, Lets get you two dry." called Megan from the sidelines. Howl and Sophie looked at her, and each other, and laughed again, smiling like maniacs. It was right now.

" What a pair." Megan muttered as she led them away.

" It ought to be hair raising." Howl said, raising his eyebrow with a wink. Sophie smiled at him, catching the joke.

" So when will the wedding be?" Megan asked, pulling open the door to her car.

" This winter. " said Howl just as Sophie jumped in with: " In the Autumn" They glared at one another, still wrapped up in eachothers arms.

" A wizard doesn't get married when the leaves are falling! Only after the first snows fall could be appropriate! I can create a summer oasis in the middle of the cold..." He started, when Sophie cut him off again

" I am not getting married in the freezing cold! Besides, Fanny would never stand for us to remain unmarried so long!" She released one hand from his waist to add punctuation to her statement.

" Blast what Fanny thinks, We should decide for ourselves!" Howl added using his newly freed arm to his advantae

" Yes, and I think it should be in the fall!"

" Winter!"

"Fall!"

They entered the car, still holding hands as they bickered, and Megan drove off, leaving the park quiet once again, a darkly shining earring all that was left behind.

--- The End ---

* * *

Final Author's notes:

Yes, it's been a while since the previous chapter came out, and I bet you'd all near given up hope. But this final chapter is here now, and I don't think that I'll do an epilouge unless there is great outrage (loose ends you say? I don't have any loose ends!). I get this odd kind of satisfaction with having actually finished this fic. Short as it may have been (actually investigating this, I think it's the longest complete multi chaptered fic in this category at this point in time), my first finished multi-chaptered story has been completed, and I'm ridiculously happy about it. I'd like to thank each and every one of my reviewers personally, but I'm not allowed to do that here any more , so says the brand shiny new rules, but I'll try my best to respond to any reviews I get for this chapter. You guys have made this an awesome experience for me, and I can't tell you how big a motivation just simple words are. Never underestimate the power of a review to get someone like me off their lazy bums, even if it's months after the last update. I really would like to revisit HMC in the future, mainly because of the awesome group of writers that I've come into contact with here.

So thanks for the ride, It's been fun kiddos.

Yours,

Min Farshaw


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